contrary many of the Sober and Temperate men have lived to great Ages and yet very free from Distempers with mean and spare Food whence does proceed a cool airy Pleasantness the sweet Influences of all the Elements freely courting the Body which renders the Spirits many in Quantity and fine in Quality and thence arises lightsomness to the Body and vigour to the Mind The truth of this men may experience if they will but give themselves the leisure to reflect and consider whether or no they do not before Meals ordinarily find themselves pleasant and lightsom in Body and Spirits but after they have indulged their Appetites with an overplenteous feeding the one is heavy and the other dull whereas had they but eaten temperately of simple Food it would not only have continued their strength but also refreshed their Spirits for the pure Spirit is the true Life Pleasure Delight and Beauty of every Creature according to the Nature of each and causeth the sweet Oyl to burn friendly and shine with a comfortable Ray if it be not wounded by disorders This Spirit being so Volatile and surpassing pure that it will not endure the least Violence for when any Injury is offered to it it either becomes evaporated or suffocated and then presently the Vigour and Beauty of that thing faileth be it either Animal or Vegetable Therefore those that do regard the Health of the Body and Mind ought to preserve the Spirit free and potent which must be done by Sobriety Gentleness and Temperance in Meats Drinks and Exercises The Prophet Daniel and his Companions were sensible of this when they were courted and also threatned with the displeasure of the King and his Servants if they would not eat of the various sorts of Flesh and Fish that came from the King's Table but Daniel intreated leave to continue that clean simple Food they had accustomed themselves unto viz. Herbs Grains and Fruits and pure Water for Drink Should not we in this Age be ready to count a man a Fool and out of his Senses that should refuse Royal Delicates from the King's Table and chuse to live upon such mean course Fare But Daniel did with a Divine Eye see into the Radix of all such things and understood their sympathetical Operations and therefore chose the most simple harmless Commons for by compounding many rich things together especially such as contain the Animal and Bestial Nature all such things lose their Simplicity and the true Life and pure Spirits of each become adulterated and changed and being destitute of its proper Virtues becomes of another operation which hath an evil Influence on our Bodies and Spirits whence proceed those frequent Infirmities in most that live in the height of Dainties the same being neither well-pleasing to God nor Nature But on the contrary was not the sober clean and abstemious Livers of the Rechabites well-pleasing to the Lord And did not the Prophet Ieremiah call them up into the House of the Lord as a Reproach to the Children of Israel for that they had faithfully kept the Commandments of their Father and observed the Rule of Moderation and contented themselves with pure Water for drink and with mean and simple Food and therefore he promises them That the Sons Jonadab should never want a man to stand before the Lord 'T is most certain the Lord hath been and is near all those that live in Temperance and Simplicity Therefore the Apostle saith Let your Moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand The Prophet Iohn contented himself with Locusts and wild Honey of whom our Saviour Christ saith That there was not a greater Prophet born of a Woman Also Iames the Brother of our Lord was eminent for his Abstinence as Eusebius reports insomuch that he eat no Flesh drank no Wine nor strong Drink and wore no Woollen Garment but Linnen which is of a cleaner Radix than the other for Woollens do retain the Bestial Nature as you may more manifestly perceive by the smell if you burn them no washing or other cleansings will purge them from that fulsom Quality which they send forth when burnt Now this stinking Nature so long as it continued entire was hidden or captived but the fire opens the gross body and manifests the Root for this cause the Prophets and holy men have so often said That the Saints and People of the Lord should be cloathed in white Linnen and the Priests of the Lord were to ware a Linnen Ephod for all Vegetives are indued with a simple innocent Nature and Operation and therefore they have been compared to the divine Nature because they bear some affinity unto it Those that would have their Spirits pure and potent must use clean Food which will extenuate the gross superfluous humours by which the Body becomes easily penetrable and he that doth not preserve his body clean the pure Spirit becomes as it were suffocated whence proceeds an heavy Dullness that is not only burdensom but hinders all Meditations and makes the Soul uncapable of every good Work but Abstinence and Temperance do dignifie a man and render him fit for the Exercise of Virtue and Piety and is the Root of strength and fortitude As the Mother of Sampson was commanded by the Angel of the Lord To abstain from Wine and strong Drink during the time of her being with Child so was Sampson her Son whom the Lord endued with wonderful strength but when he gave himself up to Wine and strong Drink and other Intemperances he lost all Power and Virtue and became weak both in Body and Mind and a prey to his Enemies And is it not so in our days Of most of the Miseries and Troubles man ensuares himself is not Superfluity a main cause Where-ever we see Vice there is also Intemperance and where we see Temperance and Abstinency we may justly expect other Virtues because no superfluous matter is bred that may dull or indispose the Fancy the Soul being watchful in Words and Works and also keeping the Body under which by the Power and Virtue of Temperance is subjected to the Influences of the Light and Love of God Temperance Cleanliness and Abstinence have greater power over the Soul and Body than most in our days imagine Did not our fore-Fathers live to wonderful Ages in perfect Health their Food in those days being chiefly Herbs Fruits and Grains and pure Wattr their Drink They did not make their Stomachs the Barial-places of dead Bodies but their Meat and Drink was innocent and simple by which they were able to check and regulate the extravagant motions of the Mind and insurrections of the Flesh Hence some of the Antients have delivered it as a Maxim That none could understand God and his Works and enjoy perfect Health and long Life but those that abstain from Flesh Wine and Vices bounding their Desires according to the Ends and Necessities of Nature For where Uncleanness and Intemperance reigns the Soul is subjected
in Men to awaken and attract their good or evil Nature as well as there is in the Coelestials to alter or change Mens Bodies and Minds This many of the Philosophical Ancients have consented to and most Astrologers are of the same Opinion The Calculators of Nativities find by their daily Experience that Vitiousness and Intemperance in the Natives Life not only cause a very malignant Configuration of the Coelestial Bodies to take place and have its Effects but also he that lives Intemperately is always in danger and subject to the male Aspects of the Superiors Whereas on the contrary it is most true that a Wise Man that is temperate just and circumspect may rule his own Stars But when Persons give themselves to Inordinate Living near or about such times as the Heavens threaten them with evil Aspects Transits or Directions then such disastrous Influences powerfully take place For this very reason Men are often insnared and drawn away to many Inconveniences before they are sensible of it for the wrathful unclean Nature having been by degrees awakened and strengthened by its simile either in Meats Drinks Imployments or Communications for every Property must have such Food as hath affinity therewith or else it cannot increase nor be brought into Manifestation but without it it languishes and becomes impotent in its Operation the Person so offending is thereby subjected to all the malignant Configurations of the Coelestial and Terrestrial Bodies Yet if such an one shall turn to the Lord by Prayer and abstain from the Evil Courses of this Life he presently destroys and weakens that threatning Malignity and this sober and temperate Life will by simpathy strengthen the Spirit of Wisdom and Undestanding If this were well understood there would be more Care and Diligence used both in particular and general as to outward and inward Cleanness than there is For in great Cities and Towns especially there are many Superfluities and Uncleannesses committed against God and Nature and therefore such places above others do suffer many Inconveniences The unclean Vapours and evil Spirits that do arise from Blood and other Excrements do not only awaken the Wrath in the Elements and Stars and draw down their evil Influences but incorporate with the common Air and defile it which being so corrupted nothing is more Injurious and Pernicious to the health of the Body and also to the Mind for outward Uncleannesses do naturally and powerfully attract the evil Power both Externally and Internally because all such pernicious Scents and Smells do arise and proceed from the poysonous Root and so bear a near affinity to the evil Angels and Spirits and do naturally attract them So when the Elements are disturbed by malignant Configurations and Aspects as in great Tempests of Thunder and Lightning and the like the evil Spirits and Angels are very busie and appear almost externally for by those malignant Configurations the Wrath in the outward Nature is violently excited and the same being predominant in the evil Angels they at such times become more apt and powerful to do mischief External Uncleanness does not only pollute the Body and Senses but also the Soul and Spirits for which cause some of the wise Ancients would not wear any Woolen Garments because they are made of the Excrements of Beasts And indeed all Hair and Wool does contain a gross fulsom impure Nature but it lies so hidden that it cannot be perceived unless it be set on Fire and then it manifests it self by its filthy offensive scent For the same Reason some of the Philosophers lived retired nay many of the Holy Men and Prophets of Old as the Scriptures testifie when the Spirit of the Lord was in a more than ordinary degree upon them and pleased to give them Visions and make known his Will unto them did with-draw themselves from Towns and Cities and from the Multitudes of People into the open clear Air in Fields Woods Mountains or by the most pleasant Rivers and Fountain of Water And our blessed Saviour Christ himself did often practise such Retreats when he made his earnest Supplication and Prayers to the Father Few do understand or imagin the manifold Benefits unfrequented places and clean pure Airs afford both to Body and Mind the Senses and Intellectuals of well disposed Men being free from those Uncleannesses Cities and Towns are subject to both External and Internal for in those loansom places the common Air is pure thin and clear free from those fulsom Vapours Scents and gross Smells which Cities are subject to and free from those varieties of Cursing Swearing and Multitudes of vain and impious Discourses which all places are liable unto where Rabbles reside and which wonderfully awakens the Internal Wrath and gives many Advantages to the evil Angels and Spirits to work their vile Purposes But on the contrary in open serene Airs as in Fields Mountains and by River-sides and Woods there is no such Tumults no stabbing of Heaven with dreadful Oathes horrid Curses and frightful Execrations no banishing of Temperance with drunken Healths and roaring Huzza's no fulsom fumes of Tobacco nor viler Steams of detestable Brothel-houses to infect the chaste Air no Plays or vain Games no Mistressing nor Revelling to spend precious time no clattering of Coaches Drums Fools Fidlers c. that make such a continual Din that a Man can hardly call his Ears his own But on the contrary all is sedate and serene still as the voice of good Spirits and quiet as the Birth of Flowers no noise to be heard but the ravishing Harmony of the Wood-Musitians and the innocent Lowings of Cows and Neighings of Horses and Bleating of the pretty Lambs or the like natural Tones wherein there is nothing of disturbance or danger because nothing of Evil but every thing praising the Creator according to the Capacity and Nature of each Here it was in these and the like places that the good Angels of the Lord appeared unto the Sons of Wisdom and taught them the true Knowledge of God and the Nature of things and shewed them what should come to pass in future times And whoever will obtain the true apprehension of God of Nature and of himself must be separated and chuse sometimes to sequester himself from the Tumults Confusions and Distractions of the publick World and Crowds of the chaffering and busling Rabble Besides all this Cities for the Reasons aforesaid are more liable to contagious Diseases And because the Nature of Infection and how it is spread and how to be avoided is very little or scarce at all understood we shall in the next place address our selves to discourse thereof CHAP. X. Of Infection or catching Diseases and how they are transferred from one to another and that all Diseases are Catching THE learned Moses whom the Lord inspired with divine and humane Wisdom commanded that none should sit on the Saddles lie on the Bed nor wear the Cloathes of the distempered which if any did they should
Vine viz. under the Government of the divine Principle of God's Eternal Love Here all Contention ceaseth no hideous Cries nor mournful Groans are heard neither of Man nor Beast no Chanels running with the Blood of slaughter'd Beasts no stinking Shambles nor bloody Butchers no roaring of Canons nor firing of Towns no loathsome stinking Prisons nor Iron Grates to keep Men from enjoying Wife Children and the pleasant Air nor no crying for want of Food and Cloths no Rioting nor wanton Inventions to destroy as much in one day as a Thousand can get by their hard Labour and Travel no swearing nor stabbing Heaven with dreadful Execrations no galloping Horses up Hills without any consideration or fellow-feeling of the Creatures pains and burthens no deflouring of Virgins and then expose both them and their own Seed to all the Miserie 's imaginable nor no Letting Lands and Farms so dear that the Farmer must be forced to oppress himself Servants and Cattle almost to death and all too little to pay his Rent no Disobedience of the Inferiour nor Oppression of the Superiour but the first knows how to obey and the last how to govern neither is there any Want because there is no Superfluity nor Gluttony No Noise nor Cries of wounded Men no need of Chirurgeons to cut Bullets out of their Flesh nor no cutting off Hands broken Legs and Arms no roaring nor crying out with the torturing pains of the Gout nor other painful Diseases as Leporous and Consumptive Distempers except through Age and the Relicks of some Strains they got whilst they lived in intemperate Egypt neither are their Children afflicted with such a great number of Diseases but are as free from Distempers as Lambs Calves or the young ones of any of the Beasts who are preserved sound and healthful because they have not outraged God's Law in Nature the breaking of which is the Foundation of most or all cruel Diseases that afflict Mankind there being nothing that makes the difference between Man and Beasts as to Health but only Superfluity and Intemperance both in Quality and Quantity Man in his first state was made the soundest healthiest of the greatest Spirit and the longest life'd as witness the Antients in the first Ages of the World But when Man enter'd with his Will into Violence Oppression and Cruelty then the Lord said That Man had corrupted the Earth and filled it with Violence that is the Elements and Properties of the Humane Nature was corrupted and become unequal in their Operation every particular Quality did endeavour to get the upper hand Here the Harmony was broken and Discord took place here was the Strife Then the Lord shortned Man's Life but not before he became intemperate and did Violence not only unto himself but to all other Creatures therefore they do groan to be delivered into that first State and glorious Liberty Man was created in which if he had continued in Obedience and lived under the Government of the innocent Principle of God's Light and Love all the inferiour Creatures would have enjoyed all the Privileges and Liberty which were ordained for them according to their Capacity For this Cause whensoever any of the inferiour Creatures are oppressed hurt or killed they do by a natural Disposition and Inclination cry unto the Fountain whence they proceeded and groan for Deliverance which will never be until Men with their Wills and Desires enter into the innocent Principle of God's Love and holy Light whence doth arise no Disposition of Hatred Violence or Oppression it being as contrary to it as Light is to Darkness All Cruelty and Blood-shedding do proceed from another Fountain as different in Nature and Operation as the common consuming Fire doth differ from the Light thereof which is of a most friendly pleasant Quality and benevolent Operation but the Fire is fierce and altogether the contrary yet nevertheless the harsh Fire is the cause of the Light and if there were no Fire there would be no Light The Fire is the Father and the Light is the Son and they are Emblems of the Father and Son or of the internal Fire and Light The Light of this internal Fire is a most pleasant chearing Quality of Life but the Fire in its own Nature is a strong harsh sulphurous Property a devouring lofty proud Spirit who endeavours to consume all things and the internal dark Fire is its Root and the Scripture saith Who can dwell with everlasting Burnings God is a Consuming Fire to all that are not cloathed with the Son's Wedding-Garment of Light Love and Innocency therefore the scrupling Violence and Oppression both to Man and Beast and denying our selves of other Vanities and Superfluities is of great moment and the only Path that leads Men to the holy Land preserving both the Body and Soul in health For this Cause in the Beginning the Lord put Man into a Garden which doth truly signifie Innocency and gave him a great number of fragrant Herbs Seeds Fruits and Grains which are all endued with an innocent Nature and Operation but when he had precipitated his Will and Desires into the Principle of Wrath then presently the Earth was filled with Violence and the Element of his Body and Soul was corrupted then Distemperatures took place in him and his Life was shortned but not before Therefore the Eating of Herbs Seeds Grains and Fruits is of far greater consequence than most imagine and they may justly be esteemed the Food of good Angels for their Innocency excellent Virtues Fragrancies and Odours and therefore they were the Food ordain'd for Man whilst he remained in his Angelical State and if he had continued in Innocency he would never have desired any other Food but when by Desire he awaken'd the fierce Wrath and lived under the Power and Government of its Nature then he could not be satisfied without doing Violence and Killing for innocent Herbs and Fruits had no Simile with that Nature that had gotten the upper Dominion in him for every Property as I have told you before must have its own Food or else it cannot subsist then it was and not before that the Lord permitted Men to kill and eat the Flesh and Blood of Beasts which would never have been had Man continued in Innocency And therefore great are the Benefits and manifold Privileges that now do accompany all those that have attained to that state of Purity and Innocency which our first Parents were cloathed with their Minds being freed from Snares and their Bodies from superfluous Labours therefore can say We have no need of Lawyers Honesty Justice and Prudence makes their Trade nothing worth and but a few Physicians and none of them keep neither Coaches nor Chariots they are not clothed with Gold Silver nor Plush Coats our Temperance keeps them poor The true Knowledge of God and Nature in our selves destroys the Trade of divining for Money Our Superiours are not proud nor ambitious neither do they spend the choicest and
most of them of an opening and cleansinn Nature for they gently cleanse and purge the Passages and Bowels But all these Summer Fruits are best and safest Prepared being mixt with things of a drying and warming Quality or rather made into Drinks and when such Juices have passed through Fermentation the Phlegmy Body is digested and the spirituous Parts set at Liberty which do tincture the gross Body so that the Spirit and true Life is made thereby Predominant over the body of Phlegm such Drinks being drunk moderately prove very friendly to Nature especially to such as are Aged People which do most need spirituous Drinks Green Food is not capable either in Man or Beasts to generate so good Nourishment nor so firm as dry neither are the Spirits so brisk and lively the gross Juices of such Food do as it were suffocate the pure Spirits and turn the Balsamick Body sower as it farther appears by all sorts of Animals that live on green Food in this season are they not apt to faint and to be subject to many Diseases their Flesh and Fat being soft and greasy but those that live on dry Food their Bodies are freer from gross Phlegmatick matter their Fat and Flesh is of a firmer substance and their Spirits stronger and livelier and more capable they are to endure Labour without Prejudice to their Health it is also manifested by all Grains Seeds and other Fruits that are cut or gathered before the Sun and Elements have dryed away or exhaled the gross Phlegmy moisture all such things will presently Putrifie and Stink being loaded with so great store of Humidity but if they be gathered the Sun and Elements having dryed away the Humid Parts then all such things will keep sound and good for several Years for this cause all sorts of Food in which Phlegm does abound are very dangerous in this season if Temperance be wanting as our daily experience teaches 5thly In this Season the Sun also declines in strength and vigour which being the central Power and Life of all things they likewise do proportionably decline as appears in Herbage as for Example If you cut Grass in September which is then the Food of most sorts of Cattel the Hay made thereof is of a weak fading Nature and Vertue in comparison of that Hay which was made in Iune or Iuly which is of a lively brik strong substance and vertue for the Earth which is the Mother of all things in this Season is weak and impotent because she hath already put forth her strength and manifested her lively Vertues in the first spring or rising of the Sun for the Winter is the Rest and Sabbath of the Earth in which time she recovers strength-and vertue because she does then as it were cease from all her Labours and the Vegetative Quality stands as it were still and the more Frost and Snow and the drier the Winter is the more strength and vigour the Earth obtains such dry Weather cloaseth up the Pores by which the strength and vertue is prevented from having any Evacuations which is manifested by the goodness and great Increase of all Herbs Fruits and Grains being all filled with a Powerful Lively brisk Spirit and Vertue therefore in the first spring and rising of the Sun every thing rejoyceth and becomes very fragrant by vertue of the sweet Influences of this Coelestial Body and the Power of the Earth so that at this time all things seem to strive with a most lively motion to manifest their most inward Vertues this is the time for People to eat Herbs both Boyl'd and Raw Sallets and Pottages made thereof such Food at the Rising of the Sun are endued with a brisk lively Vertue and Strength and of an opening and cleansing Nature Purging the Blood and are good against all kind of Obstructions Also all sorts of Diseases are by vertue of Sobriety and Temperance and the use of good Medicines then easier cured than at any other of the Year it is also the Briskest and Healthiest Season and the same Intemperances and Disorders which may be the occasion of generating Diseases in the latter part of the Summer in this time will hardly be felt for now all things rejoyce and seem to concur for the Preservation of Nature 6thly In this Season viz. from the middle of Iune to the last of September most sorts of Cattel breed many Diseases First from the continual Heat and gross humid Air which in this season is more sulpherous the Pleasant Influences and Spirits of the Air are dull and thick which causes a dull and fainty Indisposition to possess the Bodies and Spirits of all Creatures Men themselves can witness the Truth of this Moreover all Creatures are more subject to sweat by which the Spirits do evaporate likewise the Food of most Creatures is Grass which is of a gross Phlegmatick Nature and generates not only an unfirm Nourishment but also fills the Body full of evil Juices the Fat and Flesh being of a soft greasy Nature having but few Spirits and those that are very impure the Blood of most Cattel being thick and gross which is the cause their Flesh will not take Salt as at other seasons also about this time most sorts of Cattel especially those that come from remote parts of great Cities are more or less Heated and Surfeited by Driving and other Accidents they being not formerly used to Driving the Weather being Hot and Fainty the Air thick and humid and they being loaded with much gross Flesh and Fat all these things concurring makes their Flesh unwholsom and subject to Corruption especially Sheep and Lambs whose Spirits and Lives are so tender that they cannot endure any kind of violent motion without manifest danger to their Health It is very rare that any Mutton or Lamb is good in this Season they not being free from the aforesaid Accidents you may easily distinguish by the Taste Smell and Colour of that which is killed off the Common without driving and other Accidents and that which is killed in London with driving the Bodies of all Creatures being in this season full of Phlegmy matter that every little Accident will wound the Spirit then presently the Body suffers many Inconveniencies and if such Cattel be kill'd before they have time to recover such Injuries their flesh is of a dull heavy Phlegmatick Nature the Spirits are few and those that are are impure for these reasons it will not take salt nor eat sweet as others will which are free from such Inconveniencies for salt has no Power to Preserve such Flesh from Putrifaction because as is mentioned before the Spirits are impure for those gross Bodies are Preserved by the Vertue and Power of the Spirit and in such flesh where the spirits are few and impure and the Flesh gross and full of Phlegmy matter the salt cannot incorporate therefore in this season use what Art you can in salting your Flesh it will not eat so sweet nor keep
the Root of its Life Now this bitter Quality in Hops is of a harsh astringent Nature and very hot as the original Spirit in all things is For this cause all Beer that is boyled much and hath store of Hops in 't will keep a long time but then it heats the body and causes the Stone if it find matter to work upon and several other Infirmities so that 't is no ways to be accounted so good as Ale For Ale is a very excellent sort of Drink if well ordered and as the predominant Quality in Beer is Martial and Saturnine Hot and Fierce so on the contrary that in Ale is Solar and Venerial viz. Sweet and Balsamick indued with a mild soft friendly Nature and gentle operation it sweetens the blood opens the body and purges by Urine Hops are very wholsome to be put into Ale in a small Quantity but they ought not to be boyled but thus you may do it fill your Copper or Vessel you use for that purpose with your Wort make it boyling hot then take what Quantity of Hops you please and infuse them about half an hour and then strain them out not letting it boyl at all and then for certain you have all the Vertues of the Hops that are proper for the body for the Wort will extract and receive the pure spirituous Parts and balsamick Vertues of the Hops in as little or less time than the hot Liquor did the sweet Quality of the Malt in the Mash-Tub There is the very same cause and reason for the one as for the other Likewise the Ale ought to be throughly wrought or fermented that thereby it may be cleansed from its Yeasty substance which most Ale in London is clogged with which makes it grow sour in a few days and besides before 't is sour it fouls the body and sends dull dark Fumes into the Head palls and flattens the edge of Appetite and disorders the Stomach But none of these Inconveniences happen when Ale is well brewed and has wrought as it should do wherein special care is to be taken that it be not set to working whilst the Wort is too hot for that causes too violent a motion which weakens the original Heat suffocates and wounds the pure Spirit which some call fretting and this does in some degree destroy the balsamick or sweet Body and whenever it happens or that your Drink works too much or too furiously be it Ale or Beer it will not keep but turn sour or eager sooner than the other that is put to work in such a degree of heat as it will but just move or ferment gently and mildly for if your Wort be put a working before the fiery heat or sulphurous Vapours be extinguish'd which are of a contrary Nature to the genuine natural Heat of the Wort as containing the fierce Spirits of the Fire then presently the balsamick body is wounded and turns sour sooner or later according to the degree of the motion for this fierce motion or working wastes the pure spirituous Balsam and awakens the original Qualities of Saturn and Mars viz. an astringent Eagerness or sour hard Quality that would not have been manifested if this irregular Motion had not excited it On the other side the Wort ought not to be cold for then the spirituous Quality becomes as it were flat for the Heat that proceeds from Fire and remains in such Liquor is a great Quickener and Awakner of all the Properties and of good use in this respect provided it be not too fierce And further note That all stale hard Beer whether strong or small is more or less injurious to most mens Health especially those whose Natures are subject to breed the Stone and Gravel Of Small-Beer There are generally great Errors committed in brewing Small-Beer viz. most House-Wives and some Brewers let their first Liquor stand too long in the Mash-Tub with the Malt that is to say an hour and a half or two hours which stirs up and awakens a fulsom sour and keen Quality which would be prevented if it stood but one hour And this is not only injurious to the Ale or best drink but hurts and spoils the Small-Beer that comes afterwards for if once the original gross keen Qualities be awakened there is no Charm to lay them again no Remedy or Art can help but all such Small Beer will prove not only ungrateful to the Palate and Stomach but breeds bad Blood causing sharp salt Humors which help to increase that general Disease called The Scurvy And except Beer and Ale be every way well prepared Water is a far better Drink and more wholsom for all Small Beer made after the vertue of the Malt is washed out is of a weak fainty sour Quality and very injurious for the first and second Liquors having drained and carried away all the sweet friendly vertues what remains is a meer loathing to Nature only many are used to such Drinks so that they cannot well distinguish the evil Natures and Tastes thereof To mend the defect of this gross fulsom small Wort many will boyl it a long time with those Dregs of Hops that have been once or twice boyled before in the Ale or strong Beer whereby there is not the least wholsom vertue left in them but only the strong gross astringent bitter Quality so that in such Small Beer as if People studied to do their Bodies a mischief there is a concurrence of evil Juices which if you set Custom aside are an Abomination to Nature It is therefore to be noted That those that will boyl Hops in Beer or Ale ought not to boyl them more than once that is in one Furnace of Liquor or Wort but infusing of Hops in boyling-hot Wort but not actually boyling half an hour or an hour at most is far the better way except you brew Beer for a long Voyage at Sea But as for those that have no such necessity but may brew when they please there is no reason if Health and the true natural vertues of Drinks be consulted that Been should be kept purposely till 't is stale and then drunk for since the Custom of brewing Beer in England which is not much more than two hundred years and keeping it till it be stale Experience shews us that many Diseases have thereby been occasioned which hardly had any being before For no Drinks or Liquors that are prepared by fire can be made to keep a long time without hurt to the balsamick and sweet Body Therefore all stale hard Beer be it strong or small is neither so good to preserve Nature nor yet so pleasant except custom to a depraved Pallat render it so as mild Beer especially as mild Ale well brewed and wrought that it become and is free from that yeasty Quality so loathsom that even Nature spues it out which the Ale in London and many other places in England is subject to I say when mild Ale is thus well qualified there is
or awakened above and beyond its proper degree if any quantity be drunk during the time of its operation but afterwards it leaves Nature with fewer Spirits than it found in her for all Meats and Drinks and whatsoever else goes into the Body that is unequal in its parts does too violently awaken or kindle the Central Heats and raise them from their several Centers and brings Nature into an unequal Operation consumes the Radical Moisture and as it were burns up the sweet Oyl and evaporates the pure Spirits for this cause after the operation of such unequal things most People are possest with an heavy Dulness and Indisposition Fumes and Vapours besieging the Crown the Senses stupified or disorder'd the Stomach and Appetite furr'd and dull'd By which effects all Men may be sensible that Nature does perfectly hate all Extreams and Inequality But on the contrary if Meats or Drinks be of a simple or middle Nature and there be in them no manifest Quality predominant then they gently insinuate their Vertues into all parts of the Body administring both dry and moist Nourishment and with silence and concord support the Body in Health The Vertue of Tobacco taken in Pipes is extracted from the Smoke thereof now Smoke is unusual to Nature and a fulsom Steem or Vapour full of dark Sulpherous Saturnal Excrements which the Fire and Light casts forth as an abomination being void of all real Vertue it contains a gross Humidity and a fierce keen Quality very pernicious to the pure Spirits For Smoke proceeds from the poysonous Juices and Liquor which the Fire and Air separates and casts forth it being a thing that all People endeavour to avoid and how inimical it is to Nature is further manifested by that black sutty Substance which it leaves behind it and by its destroying Vegetation for it contains two poysonous Qualities a strong Bitter one from Mars and a fulsom Astringent one from Saturn its black Colour shews that its predominant Quality is from the venomous Center of Saturn and hence when Tobacco is burned it sends forth a strong fulsom scent or smell offensive to most that are not used to it nay do not the very Breaths of those that take Tobacco perfectly stink And does not the smoking of it so defile the common Air that a Man may know where one hath been that takes Tobacco they leave such a fetid Vapour behind them Do not all or most of our English Herbs when burned send forth a far better Scent or Fume than Tobacco does And I am sure many of them would not only be less offensive but produce better effects as to the Cure of Diseases When any Herb Wood or other thing is set on fire you may presently perceive by the scent what Quality was therein predominant for the Fire powerfully awakens all the hidden Qualities which could not be perceived whilst the thing remained intire If the chief quality of the Herb or thing burnt stand in the friendly Nature then it sends forth and is manifested by two Qualities viz. a most pleasant sweet Smell or Vapour chearing and delightful to the Senses and also it sends forth a burthensom Fume or Vapour which incorporates it self with the Air and flies away in a Smoke or Steem which is from the poysonous Root the Original of every Life But on the contrary if you burn any Herb or other thing the predominant Quality whereof stands in the Martial or Saturnine Poysons then all such things send forth also two Qualities viz. a very unpleasant Scent or Fume offensive and burthensom to Nature dulling the pure Spirits and as it were suffocating the pleasant thin Vapours of the Air and also it sends forth a gross humid poysonous matter that incorporates it self with the thickest part of the Air and evaporates in a Saturnine Smoke for if there lie hid any Verrue or Vice in any thing Fire will unlock all the Gates and discover it and if there be any Aromatick or Balsamick Vertue in the Herbs of Vegetables so burnt it will appear by sending forth odoriferous and pleasant Smells As on the contrary ill Smells are an evident Testimony of Saturnine and Martial Poysons being predominant which is the very Nature of Tobacco and therefore not to be so wantonly used as commonly it is Lastly I would not have People imagin that there is the more Vertue in Tobacco because the Fumes and Smoke of it will open the Body and loosen the Belly for it is the nature of all Smoke to open being of a fierce keen penetrating quality that arises from the Original Poysons in Nature whence it has also a sharp fierce humid quality that is exceeding offensive to the Eyes like the Fumes that Onions send forth when cut And we must likewise note that when Tobacco was first brought into England it was ten-fold more offensive to the Takers thereof than it is now because their Fore-Fathers were not acquainted with the use of it so that they could not entail any desire of it on their Posterity For the Children that are begot by Persons that have accustomed themselves to the common use of these unnatural things contract a kind of unsensible Affinity with such things as proceeding from the like matter and Essences so that thereby there are Foundations laid for Inclinations towards the use of them The same is to be understood in other things as those whose Parents live much on Flesh or Fish do lay such Foundations for an Inclination thereunto in the very Radix of their Children that it would prove a very difficult thing for them to refrain there-from So that every succeeding Age doth more easily and familiarly and with the less difficulty receive these evil Customs and Habits till in time they become almost Natural and thence humane Nature in general becomes weaker and decayed and Diseases come into the World with Children as part of their Essence and Scurveys and other Diseases grow almost Universal and all this for want of Temperance and Discretion in their Progenitors A sad Inheritance to leave our Off-spring when we bequeath them our Follies and intail upon them Miseries that are but the just Punishments and natural Consequences of them Of Clothing Bedding c. As Moderation and a frugal Restraint free from Superfluity or Delicacy in Clothes Bedding c. does much conduce to the Health of the Body as well as of the Mind which is observed but by a few so all over-warm Cloathing soft Feather-Beds and close Houses render Nature so nicely tender that upon every small Accident the Body is subject to various Injuries First such usage makes all the external parts so obnoxious that every little Cold penetrates and seizes the Body which being by these means obstructed there follows Coughs Wheesings Shortness of Breath and innumerable other Inconveniencies 2dly It opens the Pores by which there is an evaporation of the heat and spirits causing a hot faintness to attend the whole Body it hurts also
the digestive Faculty of the Stomach dulls the edg and sharpness of the Appetite causes Sweating and a general weariness in the whole Body and disables it to perform all its Labours and Exercises The cause of so great Inconveniencies proceeds from warm Clothes c. which hinder the most friendly Element of the Air from penetrating the body whereby the Spirits become weak and fainty For as nothing hurts the Body more than hot sulpherous Airs so there can be nothing that does more cheer and refresh the Spirits than cold pleasant Airs which is known by every mans Experience 3dly Warm and close Houses c. are attended with these evil Effects the Air which is the Life of the Spirit is hindred from having its free egress and regress by the close drawing of the Window-Shutters Hangings and Curtains which suffocates the pure volatile spirit of the Air benums and stupifies the Senses and causes an Indisposition from external heat to possess the whole Body besides it is pernicious to the vital Spirits dulls the Appetite weakens the Stomach and depraves the senses of Tasting and the digestive Faculty 4thly Soft and Warm Beds with Curtains drawn before the Windows and about the Beds produce these following bad Consequences both to the body and mind the Air being as it were pen'd up becomes hot and sulpherous because the pure thin vapours and spirits thereof are suffocated and so consequently must needs be very injurous to them that lie thus in their Beds Moreover the Air cannot penetrate the Body and so being destitute of Motion the Stomach and natural Heat is deprived of its free operation and this is the Reason that Suppers are not so well digested but oftimes become Noxious causing an unnatural kind of Sleep creating an Aptitude in the external parts to glow with a burning and unnatural kind of Heat this ill custom is too frequently used by those who are sick but especially those that lie in Child-bed to whom often the consequence is more dangerous The Chambers of most sick People are kept so very close that it will disorder a Healthy Person to continue there three or four hours and if so what detriment then do you think must of necessity attend the sick by reason of such hot sulpherous Airs And indeed considering how low and weak their Spirits are nothing can be more hurtful to them than this is under these Circumstances For these pure thin vapours and spirits being destroyed by those sulpherous ones the poysonous and deadly Vapours are stirred up which have a powerful influence upon the Body by way of simile and wound the pure Spirits in the Body causing an unnatural Heat in all the external parts with a fainty kind of weakness This becomes as offensive as the Heat and Air which proceeds from Charcoal and is of the same nature and operation for in the making of Charcoal the pure Spirits in the Wood which is its true Life or that sweet Water or Oyl whence the Light hath its bright shining Quality is suffocated and in a manner destroyed for the Spirits are the Life of the Oyl and the Oyl is the house and pleasant habitation of the Spirits and in all Preparations where the one is destroyed the other dieth as in this of making of Wood into Charcoal where both the pleasant Qualities are destroyed the free Influences of the Air being hindered the Spirits and Oyl which are of a friendly nature and operation become thereby suffocated The fire that Wood sends forth has a bright shining Light its heat is friendly and refreshing but Charcoal tho it has the same Foundation and is Wood in the original yet these two friendly Qualities being destroyed and suffocated in the making thereof it comes to be of another nature and operation as if it had not been Wood. For these Reasons Charcoal will not flame nor give a bright light but its flames are of a sulpherous Colour for having lost its Moderator or friendly Life the original Poysons take place and its Fire becomes much stronger than that of Wood and the heat and fumes thereof burdensom to the pure Spirits of those that are near such Fires the dark wrathful Vapours do awaken their simile in the Body If this were rightly understood by a delicate sort of People in the World I am perswaded they would not fear every small blast of wind neither would they deprive themselves of the most pleasant and benign Influences of the Air which keeps the essential Spirits living in every Creature and is indeed the excellent support of the whole nature of all Beings giving to them Life and Vigour And therefore you dainty Dames that are so nice that you will not endure this pleasant Element to blow upon you unless it be in a hot and sulpherous day in which it has not half that power and vertue that it has in cooler Weather you I say who are so Curious do but consider a little seriously what is said and your own experience may convince you that there is nothing better than pure and clear Airs to cheer and comfort Nature and to make the Spirits brisk and lively Are there any more healthy than those whose Imployments and Exercises are in the open Air Are there any who can endure Labour with less Prejudice Are there any who are generally more Robust Any that have better and sharper Appetites than they Likewise those that use the Country-Air much enjoy in a great measure the abovementioned advantages It will be very convenient then to use a Medium in reference to Clothes Houses and Beds and of the two Coolness is much safer from ones Birth to the Grave than Heat both inwardly and outwardly Pleasant and gentle Airs shut the Pores that the Radical Moisture and Spirits cannot evaporate they strengthen Nature give an edg to the Appetite the thinner and meaner a man's Clothes are the stronger and brisker he is and his natural Heat and digestive faculty is also the stronger besides thin Clothing except in cold Weather makes People fitter for Labour and less burdensome preserves the natural Heat and keeps it more Central Therefore it is that all Creatures that are born and bred in cold Climates are stronger and better able to endure Hardship and toilsom Labour than those that live in hot Climates and are greater Eaters and Drinkers of Strong Food and Drinks for this cause most People in cold Countries are inclined to the Intemperances of Gluttony and Drunkenness more than in hot so great is the power and operation of open cold Air it does wonderfully strengthen Nature and nothing can be a greater injury to Health than for People to accustom themselves to Tenderness the more they do wear the more they may so that at last they may have need to carry their Beds on their backs for by degrees it weakens the Body and causes so great a tenderness that they find it very troublesom to have the fresh cool Air to blow upon
their Children as keeping them over-warm especially at night and feeding of them too often and too plentifully insomuch that their Stomachs are always fouled and furred with gross and Phlegmy Matter their Food being too much in Quantity and too rich in Quality which makes the Children uneasie apt to cry and froward and puts their Nurses to abundance of trouble which would be in a great measure prevented if Temperance was observed and Women would be content to give their Children that kind of Food that were proper for their Ages and Constitutions and which does grow under and by the Vertue of our own Constellations for every Country or Climate does furnish the Natives thereof with all things both for Food and Physick proper to preserve Nature having more agreement and unity with our Constitutions Is there any sort of thing brought from the West or East-Indies from Spain or any other Country that is to be compared to our Bread Cheese or Butter Have we not a great multitude of excellent Herbs and Roots which make good wholsom Food And have we not also excellent Water which is not only the best of Drinks it self but by the help of our own Grains and Fruits makes various sorts of Drinks as strong as Wine And do we not make excellent Drink of Apples more proper for our Bodies and more suitable to our Nature than any of the Spanish Wines What is it that English People want either for the Belly or the Back if Wantonness or superfluity was set aside Are not all the sorts of Food that are of our own Growth more suitable and friendly to our Natures than those that come from other Countries Are not those that live in the most remote parts of England and far from Cities and Sea-Ports where Mony is scarce and such things dear that the common People cannot buy them most healthful and freest from Diseases But now those Out-landish Ingredients begin to be so much admired that the good Dame viz. the Farmers Wife will sell her Eggs Butter Cheese and Wheat to buy Sugar Spice and Tobacco which stand them in no stead only to increase Intemperance and Distempers The very Plough-men and Shepherds defile their most pleasant Air with the fulsom Fumes of Tobacco Likewise the common use of these things have made way for various Trades and Employments so that a great part of the People are imployed to bring them over and to distribute them here so that there is small hopes of leaving off these Superfluities they are become as it were Essential to the Nature of the Users but the chief Happiness of English People is that their own Country does abound with all things that are needful for the support and preservation of Nature and that every one is left to his free choice Therefore a Wise Man may in the midst of those various Superfluities live soberly and temperately to his own comfort and the praise of his Creator 2. It is to be observed that most of the Fruits and Spices that come from those hot Countries are not only disagreeable to our Natures but even the Natives of those places do very moderately and sparingly use them esteeming them not fit to mix with their common Food the same is likewise true of their Moderation in the use of Wines for they do not drink it as we do in that abundance but sparingly and mixed with Water besides the frequent use of the fore-mentioned Ingredients do make English men too Effeminate and do in no wise agree with their Constitutions for cold Countries do make hardy strong and Martial People as also Food of that Nature does by its simile maintain and preserve the Health of the Body and Mind far beyond what is brought from those hot Climates But if the Natives of those Countries should eat and drink those Spices and Wines in that Quantity as we do it would as it were destroy the very Radix of Health which is one main cause why our English are so unhealthy when they travel and live in such hot Countries for they continuing the same Intemperances which they accustom'd themselves unto in their own Countries which those places will not admit of their Bodies and Natures do much alter and change when they alter the Climate and not only our Bodies but also our Dispositions and Inclinations are thereby much changed Therefore all People ought strictly to observe such degrees of Temperance in such places as are most suitable and profitable to preserve Health for not only all sorts of their Fruits and Food but their Drinks also do much differ from ours the predominant Quality whereof standing chiefly in the Nature of Sol and Venus and if such Fruits and Wines be not taken sparingly they will quickly awaken their Centers and Natures in the Body and cause the pure subtle Spirits to evaporate as most do find after drinking plentifully of Wine or strong Drink and eating Food in which those Rich Fruits are compounded how indisposed will Nature be how heavy and dull the senses and as it were stupified And this is caused not only by overcharging of Nature with the Quantity but with the Quality also of the Food which doth so violently open the Solar and Venerial Properties of the Body by a sympathetical operation and does evaporate the pure Spirits and consumes the sweet Oyl whence the pleasant Life burns after such Intemperance in eating and drinking you find great alterations in the state of your Body Some think That the stronger the Liquor and the Richer their Food is the more Vertue and Strength is in it but the contrary is too apparent for nothing is more hurtful to Nature than that which contains much Nourishment for this cause many People are out of order their natural strength decaying by degrees and occasioning many Diseases to reign which had no being in former Ages when the use of such things were not known In remote parts where such Fruits and Wines cannot be procured they are happily freed from many grievous Distempers with which we are afflicted But all that I can say will not convince such as are Wise in their own Conceits nor prevent them from boyling two Quarts of Ale to one with good store of Oatmealand Spice and then sweetning it well with Sugar give two or three Quarts a day hot to Child-bed-Women Of Fish Fish generally are cold and moist of them some are easie others hard of Digestion The frequent and plentiful eating of this begets Phlegm and a kind of cold moist matter in the Body likewise we are to account some of them unclean and unwholsom others clean and wholsom the first sort are such that are bred in muddy stinking Waters as Ponds c. where the Water has no motion or in Rivers which receive the Excrements of Cities or Towns such Fish produce bad Nourishment corrupt the Blood and cause Obstructions Scabs Leprous Diseases c. If People were sensible of the hurt they do they would no more
the latter are in the external parts of the Body as the Flesh or at deepest in the Blood as all Itchy and Leprous Distempers are such as catch them have them in the same parts But on the contrary when the Diseases are inward and hid in the Body it frequently happens that such as are infected therewith find not the ill effects in the very same parts but elsewhere yet arising from the same cause Nor do Diseases thus transferred use to make People sick in the beginning but steal on by degrees so that there are very rarely any Remedies applyed till it be too late And as strong Constitutions many times keep off the Assaults of contagious Diseases so neither are all weak-spirited People liable to receive Injuries and Diseases this way for there are many who have naturally weak impotent Spirits and consequently feeble Bodies who yet are as free from catching Diseases as any others because they are clean and sound so that the Rays and pernicious Vapours and bad Airs have no power to seize on them wanting a Friend or Confederate Traytor within to let them in nor can they incorporate themselves by reason of the antipathy of Nature For as every thing or Spirit is received by its Simile so on the contrary it is withstood and resisted by its opposite for this cause one is in danger of receiving Injuries this way and another not and contagious Airs are not fatal to all but in the greatest Sicknesses or Epidemical Pestilences many all the while continue sound and well and these as well weakly People as those that are strong and healthy nay many weakly People continue sound whilst those that are much more strong and healthy are seized and die For the Air being unclean and corrupted by the humid poysonous Vapours and Species penetrates all parts of the Body and where-ever it finds matter of its own kind or capable to receive its Influences then it powerfully stirs and awakens the inward or central Poysons of Nature which before lay hid or captivated in the Embraces of the sweet Oyl and thence presently follow violent burning Fevers which in few days cut off the thred of Life For every Life in its Root stands in the highest Persons so that there is matter in every man if it be kindled able to destroy the Life in a moment And therefore we often see by experience a man sound and well one day and the next near the Grave or the whole Mass of Blood corrupted as in the Small-Pox or the like For when the inward central Poysons are awakned they are so strong that they can and do often convert the whole Body and Flux of Humors into their own Property viz. into a Poysonous and Leprous Matter 'T is vulgarly believed that Distempers do oft-times seize the Body thro' Fear which is true in a Sense but first it is to be noted That the Spirit was wounded by some Gleam or Ray and the poysons awakned before-hand for all fear and dread doth arise from the Spirits which are often wounded before a man can be sensible hence arises that which we call a Pannick Fear that is a Dread Consternation or Astonishment which we can give no Reason for also the Spirits are often hurt by a Voice or hearing a Word spoken from the Mouth of another The very Air conveys the Speeches of diseased People more especially if there be fit and prepared matter for Diseases for then 't is done in a moments time insensibly for as soon as those dreadful Vapours incorporate with and awaken the Poysons in the Body presently the Phantasie and imaginative Faculty of Nature is filled with fear and dread more or less according to the degrees of those Poysons and strength or weakness of the Natural Spirits and Radical Moisture It is further to be considered that sometimes the state of the Body is such and the Spirit so weak that every small Intemperance Uncleanness ill Air c. will easily seize the Spirits and wound the Health the true Causes of which are known but to few as when Coelestial and Terrestrial Influences do concur then every little Accident indangers Nature For there are many secret Reasons why Diseases are more apt to seize the Body and Spirits at one time than at another and on the contrary a man may commit extream Outrages and Intemperance at some times of his Life and yet continue his Health tho' every Intemperance sows some Seeds of Diseases if Abstinence and Cleanness duly observed afterwards do not root them out for these if followed will cleanse and purifie Nature and digest all such Superfluities as disorders have contracted For these Reasons a man ought never to be over-confident or think himself secure from Sickness which often surprizes us when least we expect it which happens for want of the presence of and being governed by the good Genius for though Distempers for the most part proceed from irregular Lives and other Accidents of the like Nature yet it must be acknowledged that many cruel Diseases are occasioned by Rays Gleams Surprizes Fears Ioy Sorrow c. which seize the pure Spirits and cause a suffocation of them so that in a Moments time the Radical Moisture and Balsamick Vertues turn eager a loathing and weariness ensues and Nature having lost her way the Stomach grows sick and indisposed and its Action ceaseth because the same chiefly depends on the strength and goodness of the Volatile Spirits and Radical Moisture then also the Pallat forfeits its property of distinguishing whence most sick People complain they cannot taste the natural Sweetness of Meats and Drinks If this were not so People would not be able to live ten twenty or thirty days in Fevers and other Sicknesses with such small quantities of Sustenance But what they take in such Sicknesses affords but little Nourishment and that which it does is very impure for Nature is then in strife and contends with her Enemy using her utmost effects to vanquish him At this time a skillful Physitian is very useful and of as great an advantage to Nature as Auxiliary Recruits coming in to the Relief of an Army engaged in a doubtful Battle It is most manifest that what Food is agreeable to one is not to another and so of all other things and therefore 't is sottish Ignorance to argue that because one man does not receive harm by lying in or with such a Bed or Person therefore another shall not For this is no Rule as we have sufficiently demonstrated and shewed the Reasons thereof Nor must you forget that all soft warm Feather-Beds do not only help to transfer Diseases from one to another but also they are Unwholsom and Unhealthy in themselves as is before-mentioned And indeed next to Temperance in Food nothing is more Healthy than sweet hard Beds and to lie single or not more than Two at most in a Bed especially young People for lying alone cools the Body and keeps it in an equal
Temperature and procures quieter Rest and makes People more lively and brisk preventing many Diseases and burthensom Inconveniencies But here I must be silent lest the Ladies be offended However if good Council may procure my Pardon I doubt not but to recover their good Opinion as soon as they shall have read over the following Chapter CHAP. XI Of WOMEN their Natures Complexions and Intemperatures as also of their Children Together with an account of the Generation of all Windy Diseases THe Nature and Complexion of Women doth differ and vary even as Mens some being more Sanguin others more Cholerick c. But generally they are more Sanguin than Men of weaker Heats and fewer Spirits therefore cannot endure any Inequality or Intemperances without great danger to their Health whether it be in Meats Drinks Exercises or Passions of the Mind Their predominant Quality doth stand in and proceed from the Element of Water therefore are of a finer softer yielding Temper than Men and their Love doth exceed that of the other Sex and indeed all kind of Passions do both sooner and deeper wound their Spirits Therefore all sudden surprizes of Love or Hate Ioy or Sorrow are apter to destroy the Health of Women and suffocate their Spirits stopping the Circulation of the Blood and causing the Body to swell and then abundance of Wind is generated which stops all the Passages so that People in this condition can hardly breathe Now the Original of all such Diseases which are called Vapours or Wind come thro' the weakness of the natural Heat and because the Spirits of most Women are so Volatile that every sudden Accident or Inequality doth either evaporate or suffocate them during which time the whole Operation and Circulation both of the Blood and Spirits is hindered and so the Life seems to be in danger which causeth a Commotion of the inward parts as if they did arise out of their natural places which is nothing else but certain Stoppages and Swellings of the Vessels that the Breath or Air cannot pass and then the Body is in a kind of Agony and trembles during the Fit which is never long for if it were the Life could not continue But thro' this agonous condition and strugling strife of the Properties of Nature the Element of Fire is awakned which is of a quick powerful active Quality and doth penetrate all parts of the Body and breaks open all the Passages which sets Nature into a great Heat throughout all the Body like a Fever and then this taciturn Contraction and suffocation of the Spirits does begin to cease but great dry Ardors do remain a considerable time after and by their violence do awaken the Element of Water which causes a breathing Sweat to succeed that is very beneficial to Nature and gives ease and so the worst seems to be over for the present Now all those Diseases that cause Nature to shake and tremble as Agues Vapours and the like are caused thro' the suffocation of the Spirits which does first awaken the Original Quality viz. the astringent taciturn twitching Property that does forcibly draw and contract all the inward parts and particularly the Vessels of the Stomach and in a moment stops all the Passages which Nature cannot endure and live and therefore uses her utmost efforts to get rid of those Chains by which contention the bitter Quality is awakned for that Quality above all others cannot brook Confinement but breaks open all the barricado'd Passages with its fiery and rapid Motion and awakens the hot Property which presently sets Nature into such a Flame as should it continue would soon consume her but these Heats do so violently hunger after and draw the Airy Quality as its true Life that it rouzes the Watry Element and thereby quenches that Combustion whereby Nature receives Relief and Refreshment But the Original Cause of all at the first is the wounding the Volatile Spirit which in Women is quickly done but Men are very rarely troubled with this Distemper of Vapours and the like because their Nature stands in and proceeds from the Root of the Fire and the Properties of Saturn and Mars are more predominant in them and therefore their natural or central Heats are greater and stronger than Womens and consequently are of better Judgments and Abilities both for the doing and the governing of all things For Man was made first and hath in himself the strong might and tincture of the Fire which is furious and forth driving very desirous to manifest it self But the Tincture of the Female is from the Water viz. from Venus Therefore the Males of all sorts of Creatures are far hotter and of stronger and greater Spirits and more desirous of Copulation or more unchast than the Females not subject to those Uncleannesses but fit for Generation at all Times and Seasons which Women are not And hence it is and always was accounted a greater Sin and Shame for a Woman to be unchaste than for a Man though it is not excusable in either And for the same Reason Women were never allowed those Priviledges of Polygamy as Men among the Ancients For the unchastity of Women destroys the Generation of Mankind in the Root and brings Confusion and Desolation to Families so that Wantonness in Women is a Sin against God and against Nature For the Creator in the beginning hath implanted Modesty and given the Bridg of Chastity unto Women and indeed unto the Females of all Creatures by enduing them with a cold meek Temper derived from the Element of Water which doth allay and cool them and therefore they are naturally more moderate and not so hot and desirous of Copulation as Men and when once they have Conceived are satisfied till such time as they have brought forth setting aside the Consequences proceeding from a debauched Imagination or the wanton Provocations that happen between Men and Women which force and strain Nature but as for pure natural Inclinations they cease and are as free from them as Sheep or the Females of any other Creatures These are the wonderful Works of the great Creator for if it were not so all Generation would be destroyed and corrupted even in the very Root as sometimes it comes to pass among Lascivious and Petulent Men and Women through various sorts of Uncleannesses which are against God's Law and the Right of Nature Do not all the Beasts of the Field observe their Times and Seasons And after Conception do they not strictly withstand their Males and not suffer them to touch them till after they have brought forth and also brought up their young Ones and made them capable to shift for themselves All which time they remain without Inclination because the end of Nature is answered and this is according to the first Law of God which all Creatures have kept especially the Females unviolated EXCEPT WOMEN But though I said that Womans natural Inclinations to the Sports of Venus do cease after Conception yet it
of their Blood obstructed which occasions many Infirmities as loss of Appetite stoppages of the Breast and Generation of that universal Disease the Wind which is a mortal Enemy to Children Also this hard binding does often deform the Body and destroy the Proportions of the Limbs and Joynts which are easily forced out of due place in those tender Years which brings a great deal of uneasiness and torture to them and proves of very evil consequence as to Health as many of our fine-Citizens Wives and others may know by woful Experience Indeed these preposterous ways are so contrary and disagreeing to Nature that thereby is destroyed the chief pleasure and delight of young Children but to make them amends for such their hard Usage and Deformities if they happen with difficulty to out-live Childhood their Parents being much concerned at the crookedness and disproportions of their Children which themselves have chiefly occasioned must needs send for the Iron or Steel-Bodice-maker which rarely doth any good but generally the contrary putting Youth to unspeakable Misery to no purpose and this conceited Remedy proves of as dangerous consequence to many as the first Original Evil Therefore these Courses ought to be avoided for they bring many Distempers on the Body which Nature is never able to out-grow especially in weak Constitutions for they infeeble the whole Body cause the Contusion of the Breast lay Foundations for Consumptions and cause many to have pale thin Complexions weak Joynts c. Of Food fit for Children and the contrary Also of Quantity and Quality The best Food for young Children next their Mothers Milk is good Cows Milk raw with some crumbs of Bread in it always observing that it first stand till it be cold after 't is milkt before you give it them For 't is a great Error in Physicians and others to advise consumptive People to drink Milk hot from the Cow for that Heat is of a Windy Quality that swells the Body and sends Fumes into the Head and is harder of concoction than the same Milk is when 't is cold Touching which I desire not that any Body should take my bare Word in opposition to the Learned but it being so easie and familiar a thing let them try and then they shall know by Experience Therefore I say in Summer your Children may eat it Cold but in the Winter you may warm it as hot as your Blood or if you have a desire to alter it the best way is to boyl it adding some Water to it with a little Flour and sometimes Oat-meal but remember that it do not boyl too long nor too thick for that makes it of a grosser Nature and harder of Digestion and breeds thicker Blood which is of ill consequence to Children I know Mistress Nurse will be offended that I talk of giving Children Raw Milk But I must tell her that properly the same ought not to be called Raw because it hath passed through several Digestions and Fermentations even to the highest degree so that it is not inferior to Womens Milk and much better than most of theirs because of their Infirmities and improper Foods and Drinks And Womens Milk may as properly be counted Raw as the Cows to whom I know no Creature comparable for Sweetness Cleanness and Wholsomness their breathing is an excellent Perfume and their very Excrement is little less and yet our good Dames would think it a sad business if they should give their Children unboyled Milk whereas the boyling thereof destroys the wheyey part of it and fixes it and makes it thicker and harder of Concoction but on the contrary Raw Milk as they call it that is unboyled is of a cleansing Quality easie of Digestion carries away downwards all windy matter out of the Stomach and Vessels and causeth it to pass away freely there being no sort of Food or Physick like it so that 't is an excellent Remedy to prevent all Convulsions and griping Pains of the Stomach attending windy Diseases in Children And when Children begin to be capable to eat harder Food then Bread and Butter and Bread and Cheese will be good Food for them provided that the Cheese be not too old nor too stale and strong for such Cheese is very injurious to Children heating the Blood and causing too great a Drought But most Foods that are in use in this wanton superfluous Age are improper for Children one of which is much in use among the richest sort and indeed most People now-a-days feed their Children with it viz. Water-Pap that is Bread and Water supposing that sort of Food to be light of Concoction which is a great mistake for Bread the chief Ingredient therein has already passed through the highest Preparation it is capable of for the first preparation in all sorts of Food does digest and destroy the crude Body of Phlegm and sets the spirituous parts at liberty which by a second Preparation must be destroyed and then such Foods and Drinks become dull and heavy and lie hard upon the Stomach yielding but a bad Nourishment breeding thick gross Blood whence proceed Stoppages and many Infirmities of the Breast and are so contrary to Nature that those that do prepare any sort of Food a second time are forced to add some predominating strong Ingredients that are rich as Sugar Spice and Spanish Fruits to hide the Qualities of the first and grand Ingredients for who could indure to eat Bread and Water boyled together alone or Bread and Ale or Bread and Wine And yet all these in themselves and without any alteration are very pleasant and wholsom Furthermore all fat Flesh is very hurtful to Children for it furs and oyls the Stomach and Passages and in some Children whose retentive and digestive Faculties are weak and the Expulsive strong it quickly slips out of the Stomach into the Bowels and loosens the Belly too violently causing griping Pains especially when Flesh is not good and at some certain seasons of the Year Likewise all kinds of strong Drinks are Abomination unto the Natures of Children it drys and heats them infects the Blood with sharp mangy Humours and Diseases evaporates the pure volatile Spirits c. But of all sorts of Drinks the most fit and proper for Children is Water the next is small Beer that is well brewed All kind of melted Butter and fryed Food be they what they will are hurtful to the Health of all People if not very sparingly taken but more especially to Children for Butter has passed through several Digestions and Fermentations that have opened the gross body and made the spirituous parts flying or volatile and therefore if Butter stand open a little while in the Air it destroys the goodness and pure brisk taste of it but if it be committed to the Fire then the pure Vertue is immediately suffocated or evaporated and then it turns into a gross strong Oyl which is very offensive to Nature but many to prevent its running into Oyl will
should they be forced to Sleep as the Custom of some is but to go to sleep as Nature inclines them Also they must not sit or lie too long without Motion for 't is that gives Spirit and Life to all young Creatures It is to be noted also that Womens Distempers as to Windiness and many other Weaknesses are much encreased by their straight Garments and Lacings which do press and wound the strength of that part it being one main Reason of their shortness of Breath contracting the Passages and Vessels of the Stomach which causeth also Sickness with pricking pains in the sides and often sends Fumes into the Head nothing being more Injurious to them than those Bodice and Stays which are as stiff and hard as Boards which makes the Stomach Waste and Back so feeble that many when they leave them off they feel themselves so weak that they are forced to continue them neither can they hardly turn themselves in their Beds but seem as if they were unjoynted which causeth many other Inconveniences as growing deformed and makes Labour and Exercises burthensom If these Rules be followed and observed by any they will find great benefit thereby and be eas'd of much Trouble and prevent a great Number of Diseases and lay Foundations for an healthy sound Generation CHAP. XII The Cause of SURFEITS and how to prevent them and keep the Body in Health As also of large Drinking after Meals and of eating of Suppers WHen any one finds himself much wearied or very hot through some violent action or fainty through Labour or long fasting or any other Accidents of the like Nature which may have wasted the Radical Moisture and spent the pure Spirits whereby the whole Body becomes heavy dull and indisposed Then to recover Nature and the Spirits and yet at the same time prevent the Diseases called Surfeits these following Rules are absolutely necessary for every one to observe 1. Before eating or drinking you ought to rest by sitting still and silent or taking a small nap of sleep or if conveniency will permit go to Bed and keep your self warm for an hour or two or three according to the greatness of the occasion which will recover the Spirits and strengthen the natural Heat and sharpen the Appetite refreshing the whole Body and chearing all the Senses so that you shall not only eat and drink with tenfold more pleasure and delight but with much more safety as to Health For no Meats or Drinks though of the highest Preparation have such Power to recover and restore the Spirits and make the sweet Oyl in the Body burn clear as Rest hath for which cause a man can fast longer from Food and with less prejudice to his Health than from Rest or Sleep Nevertheless in some of these times of Weariness there is necessity of present eating or drinking but then it ought to be done sparingly and such Food as is easie of Digestion as thin brisk Gruels Pottages and the like and that in a small Quantity for when the Spirits are spent by any of the forementioned Accidents the natural Heat of the Stomach is so weakned that it cannot bear any great Quantity of Meats or Drinks nor such Foods as are too strong in Quality without manifest danger to the Health All Inequality in this state is very perilous for when the Radical Moisture is wasted the natural Spirits are dull and impure which cannot be restored but only by Rest for the quickness and sharpness of the Stomach and digestive Faculty does chiefly consist in the Goodness and Quantity of the Radical Moisture and pure Spirits And for this cause those that are tired with Labour a less Quantity of strong Drink or Food will overcome them Also those that are endued with strong Spirits and whose Radical Moistures are pure and free from Obstructions have good and sharp Appetites and can eat and drink greater Quantities without prejudice to their Health but on the contrary such as have but weak Heats and few Spirits have but little Stomachs and faint desires to eat their Stomachs being full before their Bellies and the same is to be understood when the Spirits and Natural Heat are impared and made impotent by Accidents Therefore Rest after any kind of Weariness be it what it will is a most safe means to preserve Health and prevent the generation of Diseases 2. It is to be noted that Surfeits and Obstructions are not as many suppose contracted at the first or second Inconveniency except the Accident or Disorder be very great but by degrees every Excess sows some seeds for Diseases which would be prevented if care were taken and Nature not overcharged especially at the forementioned times viz. when the Spirits are weakned or spent for then the sweet Oyl and Radical Moisture immediately turns sourish and then follows an unnatural Heat and Disorder through the whole Body with a dizziness in the Head for the Volatile Spirit is the true Life and Being of every thing Many lively Instances might be given to demonstrate this as we see in all the Vegetations of the Earth if the spirituous parts be any way destroyed or suffocated that Herb Seed or Grain decays and becomes of no use or vertue which is likewise manifest in all Spirituous Liquors as Beer Ale Syder Wine c. if by long keeping or other accidents the spirituous parts be wasted or evaporated immediately the sweet Quality as it were dieth and then the bitter sour astringent Properties predominate and appear in their own Forms which whilst the spirituous and sweet Qualities were strong and not violated did lie hid being therein incorporated So that were it possible for Man by any Art to retain the Volatile Spirit in any Liquors or other things then such things would continue firm and good in all their parts forever The same is to be conceived in the Humane Nature and therefore all People ought to consider the danger the Spirit is in on all Disorders and Superfluities for presently the Appetite is dulled and the Pallate cannot taste or distinguish the pure Relish of any sort of Food For where the Spirits are weak all the Properties of Nature become unequal in their operation and rise up with a kind of violence or hunger after the sweet Oyl with eagerness to devour it which is the true Life Pleasure and Moderator of all the other Properties and Qualities and therefore when once the same is wounded the whole System of Nature is disordered and all her Oeconomy disturbed And this is really the very Root of all Distemperatures both of the Body and Mind which if every one did understand and take care that Nature were not overcharged might easily be prevented But though Nature doth frequently complain sigh groan and languish under many such Inconveniences and burdens yet few there be that ever think or consider the cause from whence such Indispositions proceed but for the most part through Ignorance take wrong measures for if
ought to be eaten in the Morning and the smaller quantity and such as is easiest of Concoction in the Afternoon viz. Milk-Pottage Milk and Flour Milk as it comes from the Cow after 't is cold eaten with Bread Water-Gruels c. Now the Reason of this is because in the Morning the Spirits thro' Rest are restored fresh and brisk and the Sun is not come to the Meridian but by that time it arrives there the Food is pretty well digested for you must note that when the Sun comes to the Meridian it doth more or less exhale or cause some Evaporations of the natural Spirits especially in hot Seasons and therefore Nature is then more indisposed dull and heavy than at other times Also the fore-part of the day hath spent the Spirits by Labour Exercise c. For this cause most People do find themselves dull and heavy after Dinner There is nothing that does more help Concoction than the cool refreshing Influences of the Air for it strengthens the natural Heat and makes it more central for which cause People in cold Weather have greater and stronger Appetites and more Spirits than in hot and therefore are able to endure more Action so likewise such as are bred in cold Countries are harder stronger and for the most part longer liv'd than those that inhabit in over-hot Regions for Heat dries up the thin spirituous Vapours and Radical Moisture in the Body and causes the internal Heat and Moisture which should serve for the help of Concoction to spread it self into all the external parts of the Body for all outward Heat does by simile draw forth the internal heat and causes the pure Spirits to evaporate For this very Reason mens desires are much after Drink in hot Seasons and on the contrary for Food in cold thus likewise the heat of Beds where most People wrap themselves up very warm takes away the Appetite for let a man go to Bed some-what hungry yet after he has slept his Stomach shall seem dull and his desire of eating gone till his motion for a while in the Air does recal it and the same quantity of Food eaten for a Supper which proves burdensom to him that goes to Bed shall be most pleasant and lightsom to one that sits up all night so great is the power of Air and Motion Therefore all hot soft Feather Beds with thick Coverings which most People use themselves to with Curtains drawn c. so that their Chambers are in the next degree to Bagneo's or Hot-Houses are very inconvenient for they weaken the Back and Joynts destroy the Appetite and render the whole Body so delicate and tender that every little Inconveniency is felt and such People can scarce endure the fresh Air to blow upon them without some prejudice to their Health which doth increase stoppages and all Windy Diseases but on the contrary open fresh Airs Rooms that have large Windows and fair Prospects and the Bed open hard and clean so that the refreshing Influences of the Air may pass freely will strengthen the whole Body beget and increase Appetite and make the spirits powerful whereby Nature does avoid many Inconveniences and Diseases CHAP. XIII Of Windy Diseases the Reason thereof in Nature and why English People especially Women are so much troubled therewith Also an Account of the Inconveniency of eating and drinking between Meals THE Generation of Windy Diseases in the Body arise from many Causes but chiefly from Three viz. 1. From eating and drinking of too great quantities of various sorts of gross fat Food and strong Drinks of disagreeing Natures which stretch the Vessels of the Stomach beyond what is natural and generate evil Juices of a sower keen quality and sharp griping Nature for it is not purely Wind or an airy quality that doth so gripe and pain the Body and send up such Fumes and Vapours into the Head for if it were so Nature would find some way to discharge it which perhaps might make a noise but not be so painful But this windy substance is mixed with a sharp sower thin poysonous matter that runs out of one place into another and causeth griping pains and all this chiefly proceeds from Repletion and too much Nourishment and uncocted matter For when Meats and Drinks are taken that are either ill prepared or too much in quantity or of a contrary quality to the Constitution then the natural Heat of the Stomach and digestive Faculty cannot concoct such Foods nor make any perfect separation nor cast out those evil Juices and Venoms which all sorts of such Food doth contain but especially Flesh and fat strong Meats which are apt to lodge in Vessels and cause Pains and Swellings for what part or Member soever of the Body is by any Accident made weak these evil Humours will flow unto and seize that part in an especial manner thus If the Brain be weak it causeth a violent Head-Ach to continue for several days together with a dizziness but if the more central parts as the Breast and Passages be impotent then you shall find all the Faculties of the Stomach debilitated and its rententive Property so impaired that it cannot retain the Food whence proceeds loathings and vomitings but on the contrary if the Centre be well fortified with a powerful natural Heat then the Stomach easily flings them off and they disperse themselves into the Members and more external parts which causeth swellings and grievous pains in the Hips Legs and Arms or where-else it happens often shifting from one part to another which some call the Windy Gout a Disease tho' very painful yet not so dangerous as when it lies and centers it self near the Heart and vital Parts for when they lodge about the Stomach such People are not well either full or fasting for after eating this Humour doth so sower the Food that it makes the Stomach sick and subject to sower belchings and the whole body to swell and sickish Qualms to arise And this enticeth many to take a dram of Brandy or other strong spirituous Drink to help Concoction which seems to give some ease for the present but in a little time the same Inconveniency will return and then again away they run to their Doctor Brandy-Bottle and thus come to accustom themselves to such strong fiery Liquors whereby they yet more and more weaken the Stomach and cause the before-mentioned Windy Diseases to encrease so that in a little time they shall not be able to eat any Food without a Dram after it nay it will come to that at last that they will not be able to digest their Food either with it or without it the Liquor will make such a Prey of Nature causing the Head never to be free from dulling Fumes and Vapours Now these Diseases are very rarely cured by any of the Medicines that are appropriated to them because most People do more or less continue the same Disorders which were the first cause thereof For no
time Our Friends Abstinence Temperance and Cleanness do continually shew us the vanity of such things and spur us on and hasten us towards the Land of Peace We do not look back for fear we should awaken the Centre the original Poisons and then our sweet Water would be in danger of being dried up as it came to pass in Lucifer and his Legions there being but nine Figures or degrees of Wisdom attainable by mortal Men the tenth Number viz. o is the highest and those that have gradually passed through the Nines must stand still in silence and leave off all numbering and suffer God's Holy Spirit to work the Will and the Deed in him as he pleaseth We have no Butchers Fowlers nor any that belong to the Trade of Killing Violence or Oppression amongst us most of them revolted and join'd themselves to Pharaoh before they came out of Egypt and were destroyed with his Troops in the Sea of Blood or Wrath and those of them that passed through the Red Sea were cut off in the Wilderness for finding their Trade very bad and low and the nearer they came to the Land of Peace the worse it grew so they began to tumult and complain and murmur against the Lord that he dealt so hardly with them Which awaken'd the Centre of Wrath and destroyed them so that none of this sort of People enter'd the holy Land that flows with Milk and Honey and not with the Blood of the humane nor bestial Nature Neither have we any Billings-gates all that sort of People are our Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water And but very few Inns of Court-Gentlemen or Templers all of them that escaped the Egyptian Plagues were destroyed with Corah Dathan and Abiram in the wild Nature of this World or Wilderness Neither have we many Churches and yet have a great number of Temples in which we worship the Lord but there be no Bells in them that are compounded of imperfect Metals therefore we have no need of those robustick Musicians viz. Ringers to call the People to worship such Musick is too Saturnine and Martial for us No every one of us hath his own Bell and none can ring or make Musick of it but himself which being skilfully handled makes a more sweet soft and pleasing Harmony than the Egyptian Bells who are loud harsh and penetrating and all the Ringers are rude cruel and inhumane Our young People do not learn to ring any Bells but their own which when well learned calls them to the Worship of God in the proper Times and Seasons even as the good Spirit of God shall teach them as the Scripture saith The holy Men of God taught and spoke as the Holy Spirit moved in them We do not admit any to be Magistrates or Governours over us but only those that by Industry Prayer and Meditation have attained to a more excellent Understanding of God Nature and Themselves than their Neighbours which doth render them fit to govern We account none capable to govern others that have not first learned in all particulars to govern themselves It is contrary to our Philosophy to mix or compound our Food with things of disagreeing natures We use no double Preparations the more simple our Food is the more agreeable it is to our Nature and best sustains our Healths It is not a Custom for our Women to give or suffer their Children to drink any kind of Beer or Syder whilst their Food is chiefly Milk there being nothing more contrary to Milk than such sharp Liquors Milk being of a sweet gentle mild friendly Nature and Operation having no manifest Quality that doth too violently predominate there being a certain Harmony between the Properties of Nature in Milk and therefore it hath always been found by Experience to be the best Food for Children and all young People administring proper Nourishment in Equality to all Parts But on the contrary all sorts of Beer Syder and other fermented Drinks are of a sowr keen or sharp Quality and for this cause being mixed with Milk it turns or separates the wheyish part from the thick the same is to be understood if Children or others drink after eating of Milk if they do not forbear a convenient time till the Stomach hath made separation and alter'd the Property of it Besides the constant drinking of such Liquors do sowre the Stomach and generate a keen or sharp Quality which is apt to turn the Milk into an hard tough substance and thereby puts Nature to great difficulty to concoct or make Separation Doth not our daily Experience shew us that all Curd of Milk is hard of Concoction and burthensome to the Stomach For this Cause many having used themselves to drink plentifully of strong Drinks and to the eating of compounded Food which have so sowr'd the Stomach and alter'd it from its simplicity that the eating of this friendly harmless Food becomes offensive to them and disagreeing especially to some particular People whose Stomachs are as it were naturally inclined to generate a sowre Matter For this cause if any shall drink immediately after eating of Milk it will cause them to puke up the thin wheyish parts whilst the hard substance remains in the Stomach which doth foul and hinder Concoction For these Reasons it is much better for all Children and young People whose Food is chiefly Milk to drink Water it being the most like Milk of any Drink of a mild gentle friendly Nature and Operation which is farther manifested by its being mixed with Milk they mix or incorporate themselves as one entire Body making no variation or separation as other Liquors will and therefore it hath been found by Experience in all Ages to be the best and most natural Drink for all People but more especially for Women and Children who are endued with tender Spirits and gentle Heats and if their Meats and Drinks have not a near Affinity both in quality and quantity to their Natures it will quickly put them out of Tune and cause them to fall into Diseases and then Nature will become unequal in her Operations Every like doth with highest diligence endeavour to beget its Simile both in the Body and Mind Water being in its own nature so clean simple and innocent that it doth not only wash and cleanse the Mouth throughly and all the Vessels of the Stomach from such gross thick Matter that doth stick and furr them but it doth distil its moist Nourishment into all parts of the Body without making any noise or causing an unequal Motion cooling and refreshing Nature strengthens Concoction thins the Blood causing it to circulate freely makes the natural parts brisk and lively For this cause those Women and Children that do constantly drink Water are not subject to so many Diseases as others whose practice is to drink strong Liquors We have but one sort of Bread which is neither coarse nor fine We never change the Fashions of our Garments nor deck them
not only impose its own Properties on the Hearers but begets friendliness and concord powerfully attracting the benevolent Influences both of the Coelestials and Terrestrials changing the Affections Intentions Gestures Motions Actions and Dispositions of the Auditors quietly alluring them to its own Property The grave consorts of Musick both vocal and instrumental are true similitudes of the Harmonical state man was created in if he had not fallen there-from and suffered his desires to enter into Inequality where every Form and Property does strive with all its might to be Lord over the other and so destroys all Harmony and is the true Original of all Inequality and Discord which is the Root of all Violence and Oppression Whereas on the contrary Harmony and Concord whether it be external or internal is in its own Nature innocent and friendly the true fountain whence proceeds all Ioy and Pleasure both in Angels Men and all other Creatures because they all originally were derived from Unity All Instrumental and Vocal Musick works various effects on the Hearers according to the Equality or Inequality of each The grave Consorts of Organ Viol and Voices beget Gravity and composed Dispositions and work so powerfully on some Sanguine-tempered People as to make them forget all Troubles Sorrows and Perturbations raising up the hidden Properties of Nature and Phantasie to a state of Unity that is absolute Felicity during the time of hearing such Harmonies But others who are of unevener Tempers and further from Equality both in their Humours and Elements of their Bodies and Minds it makes worse condition'd melancholly sad and dull after a little time of hearing This new change or alteration of Disposition seeming burdensom to them therefore such never care to hear Musick long but had rather be entertained with the Noise of the Multitude the Cries of deep-mouth'd Hounds and Discourses of Vanity There are other musical Harmonies that are light and wanton as of Violins especially when they shall play such Tunes or Lessons as are composed by and proceed from the wild airy Phantasies of Venereal Musicians which the present Age is pestered with whose Imaginations are vain lascivious and extravagant and when such Airs meet with suitable wild wanton amorous youthful Hearers they have power to stir up and impress their own Properties on them by incorporating with their similies Man is capable by his Will to work and to be worked upon by all things as he immerseth his Will either into Equality or the contrary if the first then his actions words c. incorporate with all things that stand in equal weight and measure which is the joy and solace of Nature And so on the contrary Inequality and Discord move by simile likewise and therefore the holy Scripture faith The Prayers of the Wicked are an Abomination to the Lord for the God of Love and Mercy cannot be moved nor the Divine Influences attracted but only those that do imitate him by living in Unity and Well-doing and such as live under the Government of the evil unequal fiery Nature cannot either by their Words Prayers or Works move or attract any other Quality but what is alike to their own Nature And consequently the Addresses of the Wicked move God in the Principle of his Anger by simile because all their Words and Prayers proceed from an evil Root Thus Discord is the Root of all Evil and the corruption of every Life both external and internal Death it self being nothing but a Contention Strife Disharmony and unequal operation of Nature where the strong original Forms of Saturn and Mars do rage and domineer and with a fierce hunger destroy and raven up the friendly properties and preservatives of Life All Diseases and Infirmities both of the Body and Mind arise from the unequal operations of Nature and Health is nothing but Harmony or an Agreement of the parts It is also to be noted that Harmony and Concord do contain the true Properties of all Elements Forms and Constellations even those strong fierce forms of Saturn and Mars whence arises Envy Strife and Contention but when these are united unto and evenly managed by the friendly powers of Nature they are the cause of all Ioy and pleasant Melody there being no Evil but Inequality where Nature is divided and every property is in Rebellion and endeavours to be Master Therefore the Lord said in the beginning That all things that were created were good for neither the Name nor the Nature of Evil was existent nor should ever have been known if the Angels and Men had continued in that Harmony they were created in There being no Evil where the Forms and Properties of the Divine and Humane Nature are united nor any good where they are separated from the Divine Principle which is the friendly Fountain that qualifies and moderates the venomous fierce raging Properties of Saturn and Mars So that the very same Qualities that are the Root of Sorrow and Misery both of Men and Angels that live in and under the dominion of the divided Forms and Properties are the true cause of all Joy Pleasure and Content to others that live in Unity and Concord where all Forms and Properties embrace and court each other whence doth arise and proceed the most harmonious Consorts and heavenly Joy This is manifest in all Vocal and Instrumental Musick which is a lively and true Similitude of the internal and mental Harmony as that is the Root of this outward Melody Are not the Saturnal and Martial Strings and Notes as material and useful as the Iovial and Venereal The first being the Base and Radix of all Composition and the latter the Trebles the Basis gives Majesty and the Trebles Sweetness the one being the Male the other the Female and by their Incorporating or Embracing each other is begotten the true Harmony both of corporeal and incorporeal Bodies nor can it subsist or continue where there is a separation of those Properties if there were no Fire there would be no Light Hence it appears that every thing is either Good or Evil as it draws near and unites it self or is severed from that Fountain of Unity and Harmony whence it proceeds for this separation is that which is called the Degeneration or Evil. And as every Creature both in the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms stands near or afar off the Unity so are they either Good or Virtuous or Evil and Poysonous according to the degrees of the Forms and Properties of the seven-fold Nature which being near the Equality denominates Men to be Sanguine as those who are more unequal in their Compositions in several respects are called Cholerick Melancholly or Phlegmatick And so in Beasts Birds and Fish those that are unequal in their Frame are fierce cruel and ravenous but those wherein the Properties are more mild friendly tame and better tempered are called Clean and the other Unclean The same is to be understood of all Vegetables and Fruits not but that the
temperately which formerly they have spent in superfluity and of late have altogether declined but with Colour of using moderately many are ensnared and by degrees led again into Captivity It being for Example more difficult to drink Wine with a just Moderation than to drink no Wine at all And 't is the part of a wise Man if he sees an hundred things lawful to deny himself of ninety of them being certain of this that every inferior thing a Man toucheth or communicateth with has a special Power and natural Inclination to beget its own property and by degrees enslave the more noble Properties in Man Therefore 't is safer to deny ones self many of those things that are lawful and mean as well as those things that are not because Men has Power either by Sense or Understanding to hinder the Influences and Spiritual Impressions of Nature if he shall joyn himself to any thing whether it be Meats Drinks Imployments or Communications there being no Caviates that can prevent those Inconveniences but only Scruple and Self-denial which has been and alone is the first step and also the last to all Virtue and Wisdom He that can regulate himself and his Imaginations Words Communications Meats Drinks and Imployments may preserve his Spirit pure and potent and make his Soul thereby an unpolluted Temple of God which is the Supream Musick attainable where all the various Forms do incorporate and imbrace each other in an holy Consort of Love and where there is no despising envying or persecuting of one another because they are of different Forms Shapes Figures Complexions Inclinations or Understandings of which Vocal and Instrumental Harmony is a true Similitude Therefore it is much to be pitied that those that are Players on Instruments and skilled in Musick be not more Temperate Sober Grave and Wise for the wicked Wantonness and vain Lives of some of them have brought a Scandal on Musick and most People being ignorant of the Nature and Eccellency of Harmony have charged Musick as tho that had been the chief Cause of those Evils some of them have committed against God Themselves and the Law of Nature But this is a grand Mistake for the Original Cause of all Evil and Sin proceeds from a Man 's own Lusts and Passions and not from any outward thing 'T is true Man hath the two Seeds and Tinctures in himself and as he shall give his Will up unto either Evil or Good so he has power to attract unto himself either Virtue or Vice out of all things and also to use them either to the Praise of his Creator or profit of himself or the contrary as the Apostle saith Unto the Pure all things are Pure but to the perverse the contrary for the Lord appears to every Man either in his Love or Anger according to what Principle he hath suffered his Will to enter into as the Scripture saith That the Lord is an angry jealous God and a consuming Fire And yet again it saith That he is a merciful gracious God full of Love and Pity and will shew Mercy unto the third and fourth Generation of those that fear his Name and live in Unity Therefore Musick is not at all to be contemned or slighted for the badness of some that pretend to its outward Practice for they still are Strangers to its inward Power and Efficacy For Concord and Harmony are the best Accomplishments and sublimest Gifts that can be attained in this World the pleasures of Time and Eternity enduing both Soul and Body with perpetual Health it being that happy state which Man and all other Creatures do travel with great Desires and Groanings to be delivered unto even that holy Unity whence all proceeded But Unity Concord and Intellectual Harmony have hardly any thing in the hearts of Men for if they had then there would be Peace and Love not only amongst Men but to the whole Creation for that Paradisical State in this World which many have hoped to see and do expect shall come viz. that all Mankind shall live in perfect Love Concord and Harmony can never be expected to come to pass except Men do take other Measures than hitherto they have done For before any can attain to such a blessed harmonious Condition he must first live in the Observation of God's Law in the outward Nature for the greater cannot be understood if the lesser be not put into practice Man cannot by his Prayers move the Lord in his holy Fountain of Love except he lives in the Power and Operation of the same Fountain nor can attract the sweet Influences of the Elements and Coelestial Bodies any other way but by living and observing the simple innocent Law of Nature For this cause those that live under the Dominion of the Spirit of Discord Pride Envy and Contention their Devotions cannot move the Lord in this principle of his Love and Mercy but on the contrary moves him in the stern Wrath and therefore is said to be an Abomination unto him For this Reason there ought to be more care in every one to know what Spirit reigns in the hidden Ground of the heart than about outward Forms Every one that feareth God and worketh Righteousness saith the Apostle is accepted of the Lord who makes no difference of Forms for every Form is either Good or Evil as the People are either Virtuous or the contrary Therefore it is highly necessary for every one to study the knowledg of himself that he may understand the differences of Spirits and from what Fountain or Property every Thought Word and Work does proceed and to recommend and promote such Self-study and Heart-knowledg is the scope of this whole Treatise which being once attained unto a Man may be able to correct himself and Tune his own Instrument whence will proceed Concord Love and Harmony without which there is no Satisfaction either in this World or that which is to come For to fear God and keep his Commandments is the true Musick which all Mankind ought to be skill'd in and practise This is both the Glory and the Happiness the Ioy and Solace of created Beeings the celebrated Musick of the Spheres the Eocho of Heaven the Business of Seraphims and the Imployment of Eternity Amon. FINIS A DIALOGUE Between an East-Indian Brackmanny OR Heathen-PHILOSOPHER AND A French-Gentleman Concerning the Present Affairs in EUROPE LONDON Printed for D. Newman and R. Baldwin at the King 's Arms in the Poultrey and near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane 1691. A Dialogue between an East-Indian Brackmanny or Heathen Philosopher and a French Gentleman c. Heathen SIR I will not be so inquisitive as to ask what Accident or Occasion brought you into these Oriental Regions Be it either Curiosity or Business a natural desire of improving your Understanding or intension of Commerce I speak you heartily welcome and shall to my power be ready to serve you esteeming it both my Duty and my Happiness to
also of Beasts and Herbs and to what Virtues Vices and Diseases each of them are most subject and what food is most agreeable to Persons of every Constitution page 1. Of the Bitter Quality p. 3. Of the Sweet Quality p. 6. Of the Sour Quality p. 7. Of the Astringent or Saltish Quality p. 8. Of the Cholerick Complexion p. 11. Of the Phlegmatick Complexion p. 15. Of the Sanguine Complexion p. 19. Of the Melancholy Complexion p. 24. Chap. II. Of the excellency of Temperance the Knowledge of a Mans self and the mighty Benefits of Abstinence and Sobriety p. 33. which prepare the Body to be the Temple of the Lord 36 37. Of the Prophet Daniel's refusing the dainties that came from the King's Table p. 38. The Abstemious lives of the Rechabites a reproach to the Israelites Also of Sampson's drinking Wine c. p. 39. The cause of Leprous and Maingy Diseases c. p. 52. The cause of catching Cold p. 54. Of Fevers p. 56. Chap. III. A Discourse of the several sorts of Flesh viz. Of the Nature and Complexion of Oxen and Cows p. 59 60. Of their Flesh p. 63. The excellency of Butter Cheese and Milk-Pottage p. 62. Of Sheep their Complexions and Nature and of their Flesh p. 64. How to know whether the Mutton be perfectly good or not p. 68. Of Lamb. p. 69. Of the Flesh of Calves or Veal p. 71 72. Of the Flesh of Swine and their Nature and Complexion p. 72. Of the Flesh of Fowls p. 75. Chap. IV. The Proper and most Natural way of preparing viz Boyling Roasting Baking Stewing Frying and Broyling of Flesh and other Food from p. 78. to 89. Chap. V. The seasons of the year in which most People are liable to Diseases and Mortality and the Reasons why so many are sick and die more at one time than another Also what Food is best to preserve health at that time shewing also the Seasons of the year in which most sorts of Flesh are unclean and aptest to contract Diseases and what times Men may eat Flesh with least danger to their Health And of the Nature of Summer Fruits how they are good and the contrary from p. 94. to 106. Chap. VI. Of Waters Ale Beer and Tobacco To which is added the consideration of Clothing Houses and Beds and what great benefits arise from Moderation and Temperance in those things p. 106. Of Water in general both internal and external p. 108 109. Of Rain-Water and its Nature p. 110. Of River-Water and the Reasons why Vallies are so fruitful and Hills so barren p. 112. Of Spring or Fountain-Water p. 113. Of Pump or Well-Water p. 114. Of Ponds or standing Waters p. 115. Of Ale and its nature and operation as also of Beer and the most proper and natural way to Brew p. 116 117. How to extract the vertue of Hops p. 122. Of Tobacco its nature and operation p. 124 125. Of Clothing Bedding c. p. 133 134. Of particular Trades as Carpenters Joyners and particularly of Sea-men c. p. 142. The evil effects of the Liquor called Punch p. 144. Chap. VII Of Grains Herbs and Fruits viz. Of Wheat p. 145. Of Barley p. 149. Of Rye p. 150. Of Pease and Beans p. 151. Of Kidney or French Beans p. 153. Of Herbs raw and boyled p. ibid Of Colworts Cabbage and Collyflowers p. 156. Of Turnips p. 158. Of Carrots and Parsnips p. 159. That the Fruits Herbs and Grains which our own Climate produceth are more natural and proper to maintain Strength and preserve Health than those that come from other Countries p. 160. The Nature and Property of Spices Nutmegs Cloves Mace Cinnamon Pepper Ginger c. p. 162. The ill consequence of their being mixed among Childrens Food p. 164. Of Fish p. 168. Chap. VIII The Mischief of Variety of Meats and Drinks and the inconveniences of improper Mixtures and on the other side what Foods are fit to be compounded p. 169. A Digitation of the seven perfect Colours shewing how there being mixed two three or four of them together produce their several Complexions contrary to their own Colours p. 170 c. Of Plum-cakes which are composed of about ten disagreeing Ingredients p. 173. Of Bread-Puddings p. 174. Of Broth or Pottages that are heat a second time p. 175. The Reasons why boyled Water will not keep so well as Water newly taken from the Spring p. 177. Of Syrups p. 178. The fatal consequence sick People are confined to p. 179. Of Mince-Pyes c. p. 180. Several sorts of Food that are proper to be compounded as bearing a simile with each other p. 182. Chap. IX The Reasons in Nature why Cities and great Towns are subject to the Pestilence and other Diseases more than Country Villages The excellency of Solitude and Advantages of a retired Country-Life p. 184. That Mens Actions awaken the like Property in the Coelestial Bodies whether they be good or evil Shewing also what Violences they be that cause Wars Famine Pestilential Poysons Botches Byles Veneral Diseases Fevers Plagues Scabs Leprosies Spots in the Flesh Tumults Burning of Towns and Cities c. p. 186 c. The excellency of a retired Country Life p. 190. Chap. X. Of Infection or Catching-Diseases and how they are transferred from one to another p. 193. Chap. XI Of Women their Natures Complexions and Intemperances c. p. 200. The original cause of Vapours or Wind and Agues p. 201. The Evils that attend Wantonness in Women p. 202. The ill consequences of putting Women to hard robustick Labores and Cares p. 205. Particular Directions for Meats and Drinks that are proper and natural for Women p. 206 207. What causes the Scurvy p. 209. The cause of Fevers and Convulsions p. 211. What makes Travail in Child bearing burdensom p. 212. The Inconveniences of Men and Women lying always together p. 215 216. The Evils of hard swathing and binding their Children p. 217. 218. Food proper for Children p. 219. To prevent Convulsions and griping pains in the Stomachs of Children Also of Water-Pap p. 220. Of Melted-Butter p. 221. Of the Quantity of Childrens Food p. 222. Chap. XII The cause of Surfeits and how to prevent them and keep the Body in Health p. 226. The danger of Drinking after superfluous Meals p. 229. Of Suppers and what sort of People may use them without prejudice to their health p. 233 Chap. XIII Of Windy Diseases the Reasons thereof in Nature and why English People especially Women are so much troubled there-with c. p. 237. The Evils of eating and drinking Food too hot p. 238. The Mischief of eating and drinking between Meals p. 241. Of Fatness and what sort of People are subject thereto as also how to prevent Fatness p. 246. Chap. XIV Of FLESH and its operation on the Body and Mind That the common eating thereof does awaken the wrathful Nature in Mankind c. p. 249. Of the Children of Israels eating flesh in the Wilderness p. 251. A
neither does he see even into Natural things any otherwise than a Beast beholding the outward Substance but knowing nothing of the inward Power of the Spirit or if such do understand any thing further or more than Beasts it is either by Chance or Custom But when the Eye of a man's understanding is opened in the true Spirit he then seeth into his own Essence and Properties and by the same sight has a prospect into the Nature of all other things more especially if he be one that is born with a Nature adapted for the comprehension of such things For this reason it is said The spiritual man discerneth all things even the deep things of God but nothing hurts and hinders man more from obtaining the true Knowledg of God and Nature in himself than his looking abroad out of himself imagining that Wisdom and Understanding is to be found and learned in and from some other thing neither do many consider that worthy saying of the Apostle avouching That whatsoever may be known of God is manifest in man not without Man but within himself Man is that City the Wise man speaks of In whose Gates Wisdom cryes but if man will be gazing abroad and not regard the inward Voice in the Heart as most do not then he can never come to any true Judgment either in things Divine or Natural because the Foundation of all Wisdom and Right-knowledg is within a mans self Let us appeal to common Reason How is it possible if a man do not observe the particular principles and Operations of his own Nature that he should observe and understand those of other things whose Motions and various Operations he is more remote from and doth not feel Therefore if a man would know how to rule govern and preserve any Creature or thing this Wisdom and Knowledg must be first Essential in himself and to understand in particular what things are Extream in him and the contrary which will much help in the way of Temperance and Moderation with a due consideration had to the nature of the Food the Age Air Imployments c. And also the Quantities of all those things ought to be regarded and not to heap together too much this being a sure Rule of Health if a man finds himself as lightsom and brisk after Meats and Drinks or rather more than he was before For the intention of Food is to Refresh Nature and not to dull oppress and incommode her as most in this particular do especially those whose natural Heats are great and Appetites strong But full Meals and too frequent use of rich Food and strong Drinks do breed too much Nourishment which is the Original of many Diseases it furs and stops the Passages generates too much Blood and thick dull Spirits which makes the Body heavy and lumpish and by awakening the central Heat causes the external parts of the Body to glow with an unnatural Flame which obstructs the powers so that the pure thin sweet Vapours of the Air which are the Refreshing Zephiri of Nature cannot penetrate them as they are wont to do when the Elements of the Body are free from disorder for then they suck them in like Spunges which renders the Body full of Spirits brisk vigorous and sprightly as Virgins at a Wedding or Boys at a Festival But this pleasant Condition is never felt when the Body is over-fraight with Nourishment and like a Lamp ready to be extinguisht by superfluity of Oyl therefore solemn Feasts and set times for Meals and eating and drinking whether they have Appetites or no and other Circumstances that attend them are Friends to Gluttony but mortal Enemies both to Temperance and Health when People deluge down various sorts of rich Food and Cordial Drinks in a formal Method sitting perhaps two Hours inticing one another to Gormandize and Guzle not only beyond Necessity but even above the Power of Nature And yet not content after they have already exceeded all bounds of Temperance with strong Foods then with Wine various sorts of Fruits Tarts Sweet-meats and a thousand Kickshaws enricht with the East and West-Indies Ingredients of themselves more than sufficient for a sober and temperate Meal in the mean time few do consider the Injuries hereby done both to Body and Mind for this variety hath power to prolong the pleasure of the wanton Pallate beyond the need of Nature or ability of the Digestive faculty For every particular thing opening by Simile its like property in the Stomach it comes to pass when a Person has eaten to the full and to the satisfaction of the Pallate of one thing nevertheless when another of a contrary nature and taste comes the Appetite is awakened and he can with pleasure fall too again and so of several Varieties the Invention whereof at one Meal was meerly to gratifie Luxury by prolonging the pleasure of the Pallate which could not be done with simple Meats and Drinks Not but that a man may eat several sorts of Food and Drinks at one Meal without injury to Health but then they must be Homogenial that is agreeable to each other and also he that so eateth must as the Wise man adviseth Put a Knife to his Throat which very few in this Age do observe But of this we shall speak more hereafter As Abstinence and Sobriety does always fortifie the Observers thereof against many Evils so they make the Body pleasant healthful and fit to discharge all its Functions and prepare the mind to be the Temple of the Lord as St. Paul calls it Those that take Meats and Drinks only for the necessity of Nature and observe that the Food be not stronger than she but on the contrary she stronger than it such have for the most part great Spirits and but little Flesh whereas Gluttons have much Flesh and little Spirits Have not all the holy Prophets and renowned Law-givers from the beginning been Persons of a wonderous Sobriety and Temperance as Moses and Elias who fasted forty days and yet the Face of Moses shined and he could guide his Body as if it had been a Spirit And several other indeed all holy men endued with divine understandings have been remarkable for their Temperance For the Spirits of men are not Earthly things to receive their Nourishment through the Organs by the concoction of Meats and Drinks only but derive their purer Aliment like Spunges through the whole Body from the clear thin Vapours of the Air which do powerfully penetrate the Body on all sides but are hindred through superfluity of Meats and Drinks and so the Spirits in the Body for want of being found with these refreshing Gales become thick and as it were suffocated For this cause most that abandon themselves up to Gluttony and Epicurism seldom attain to Old Age or if by means of an extraordinary tough Constitution they do rub out 't is with Tortures and Misery their Bodies being as full of Diseases as an Hospital But on the
with the Body that it cannot discern things Coelestial but Sobriety and Purity of body and mind renders it the Temple of God wherein his blessed Spirit delights to dwell and communicate its Gifts and Graces Most men will in words confess that there is no blessing this World affords comparable to Health yet rarely do any of them value it as they ought to do till they feel the want of it To him that hath obtained this goodly Gift the meanest Food even Bread and Water is most pleasant and all sorts of Labour and Exercise delightful but the contrary makes all things nauseous and distasteful What are full-spread Tables Riches and Honours to him that is tormented with Distempers In such a condition men do desire nothing so much as Health but no sooner is that obtained but their thoughts are changed forgetting those solemn Promises and Resolutions they made to God and their own Souls going on in the old road of Gluttony taking little or no care to continue that which they so much desired when they were deprived of it Happy it were if men did but use the tenth part of that Care and Diligence to preserve their minds and bodies in Health as they do to procure Money and Riches which many never obtain and those that do it serves them chiefly to procure those Dainties and Superfluities which do generate Diseases and is the cause of committing many other Evils there being but few men that do know how to use Riches as they ought For there are not many of our wealthy Dons that ever consider that as little and mean Food and Drink will suffice and maintain a Lord in perfect Health as the poorest Peasant and render him more capable to enjoy the benefit of the Mind and pleasures of the Body far beyond all Dainties and Superfluities But alas the momentary Pleasures of the Throat Custom Vanity c. do insnare and intice most People to exceed the Bounds of Necessity or Convenience and many fail through a false Opinion or Mis-understanding of Nature childishly imagining that the richer the Food is and the more they can cram into their Bellies the more they shall be sterngthened thereby but experience shews to the contrary for are not such People as accustom themselves to the richest compounded Foods and most cordial Drinks generally the most Infirm and Diseased For all such things contain great store of Virtue and ought to be eaten between whiles according to Reason and Experience for when the Mouth of the Stomach is open the pleasant relish of such dainty Food does so intice and encrease the desire of eating and drinking beyond what is needful that a man may eat too much and yet give off with some little Appetite of which we may be sensible by that general dulness and Indisposition which we find in our selves for two or three Hours afterwards People are much mistaken in thinking That so long as the Appetite desires and the pleasure of eating continues strong they may eat on without damage to their Health But the truth is this is one of the chief Reasons why men are Gluttons and there is but little difficulty in Temperance save only in this particular it being somewhat hard for an healthy good stomach'd man to give off eating in the midst of the Pleasure he receives by it especially when Meats by Art are made on purpose not only to prolong the Pallate but also to delight it But to him that uses himself to simple Meats and Drinks the snare of provoking the Pallate beyond the necessity of Nature is removed for such cannot intice Nature out of her way nor awaken any other Properties or Appetites in the Stomach but its own Likeness whereas varieties of Food do stir up as many various Qualities in the Stomach so that there is still a fresh desire to each thing till Nature is over-cloy'd And therefore Varieties are always dangerous if great Care and Temperance be not observed But he that limits his Desire by Wisdom and has the understanding both of the Quality and Quantity may eat of sundry sorts of Food at one time but the ignorant and unwise very rarely do it without prejudice to their Health As the pleasure of Temperance and the many benefits that follow Sobriety cannot be imagined by those that live Riotous Lives so neither can the sweet influence thereof especially the first be enjoyed without some Trouble to Old Adam There must be Self-Denial in the case and a man must live in this World as if he were Alone for there is but little Company in the ways of Sobriety When a man comes once to espouse them in earnest presently most of his Friends and Acquaintance will suspect and condemn him as a Conceited Whimsical Capricious Fellow or a kind of Mad-man because he will not run with them to the same Excess and Riot For the Flesh and Spirit of this World have no Affinity with Sobriety and Temporance proceeding from Fountains whose Waters are of quite contrary Nature to others the one being clear and pure which purgeth and cleanseth preserving both the Body and Spirit in perfect Health the other being defiled with many Superfluities destroys the Health of both Therefore he that would enjoy the true Pleasures and flourish in the Virtues that attend Sobriety ought to be as strong as Sampson was in his innocent Life that he may be able to cut off all superfluity in the Bud For it is not that which goeth into a man as our Saviour Christ saith but that which proceeds out of him For all kinds of Intemperance are first conceived in the Heart and if such Imaginations are not cut off or overcome by Wisdom and Temperance then they grow strong and become as it were essential and when the Spirit and Understanding of a man is captivated then a man becomes a Tyrant to himself and a perfect Slave to Gluttony being defiled by every thing Meats Drinks Words and Works as the Wise man saith Even the plowing of the Land is Evil to the Wicked for all Uncleanness and Defilements that happen either to the Body or Soul do arise and proceed from Within And if such lewd Desires Opinions and Customs were cut off in the bud then neither Body nor Soul would be hurt by supurfluity of Meats Drinks or any other thing for every man that commits any Intemperance be it what it will acts it first Within and makes it substantial in the Spirit and then it becomes Corporeal for the Body is forced to obey the dictates of the Spirit whether good or evil for this cause Christ saith That nothing that went into a man defiled him for he pointed and had an Eye to the Root whence all Evils and Intemperances arise His Words are Spiritual and not otherwise to be understood for he makes no exception but saith NOTHING that goeth into a man defileth him Which words should they be taken in a Carnal ense then our dayly Experience shews the
Health are easily procurable of small Charge soon made ready and with very little Trouble they are in most places ready and familiar to be obtained with ease and pleasure without violating Justice or hazarding either your Conscience or your Liberty Furthermore Temperance is a strong Bullwark against that pernicious Enemy of Mankind viz. Despair or suspicion of the divine Hand of Providence against the Frowns and Causalties of this World What cares that man if he have not Money to buy Wine who by use finds Water no less pleasant and more wholsom Why should one bemoan not having half a score Dishes when one will serve him not only as well but better Sobriety makes a man Superior to those vain fearful repining Imaginations whereunto most or indeed all superfluous intemperate People are subject and when Poverty comes upon them they are doubly miserable because they had inur'd themselves to Unnecessaries before the absence of which more torments them than any real Wants that they lie under But he that gives the government of himself to Wisdom and has the true knowledg of Gods Love and the eternal Principle of Light in himself and admits it to have its Operation in the Soul and Body and who sees with an inward Eye the great Virtue and Fortitude there is in every simple Grain Fruit and Herb and who hath also bounded his desires to the necessities of Nature there is no such great reason that such a man should trouble his head with care and suspicion and tire his Body with over-labouring for Fruits Herbs Milk Bread and Water are easily procured And what sober man in the World is reduced to that extremity as to want such things except in universal Calamities Every man ought to understand that heavyness oppression of Nature and dulness proceed from the abundance of thick putrid Humours which stop up the Passages and cloy the Joynts filling them with gross moisture so that the course of the Spirits is hindered and they as it were suffocated which causes various Distempers in the Body that men would give all the World if they had it to be cured of but no Physick can help them unless the excellent Lady Sobriety be their Doctress for it must be a clean simple well-ordered Diet only that can fine the Blood by degrees out of which pure Spirits are generated in the goodnss of which all Health and the whole prosperity of the Body and Mind doth consist whereas surplusage of Nourishment destroys the Spirits and damnifies all the Senses as that of Seeing is hurt by gross Humours that obstruct the Optick Nerves And therefore those that are subject to weak Eyes ought to abstain from all such things as replenish the Head with Fumes such are all sorts of fat Meat Butter and the like taken in too great a quantity as also strong thick Drinks especially such wherein Wormwood or any strong bitter Herbs are infused for all such things are very hurtful to the Eyes as experience shews Likewise such superfluous matter offends the organs of Hearing and marrs the sense of Tasting by breeding Cholerick salt Humors so that those who accustom themselves to Excess generally have their Palates debaucht and cannot give a true judgment of the state of things Now the sorts of Food and Drinks that breed the best Blood and finest Spirits are Herbs Fruits and various kinds of Grains also Bread and sundry sorts of excellent Food made by different preparations of Milk and all dry Food out of which the Sun hath exhaled the gross Humidity by which all sorts of Pulses and Grains become of a firmer substance so likewise Oyl is an excellent thing in Nature more sublime and pure than Butter And if you do eat fat flesh let it be sparingly and not without good store of Bread and Herbs There are two things in the practise of Temperance chiefly to be regarded viz. QUANTITY and QUALITY the later ought to be considered by every one that is desirous to preserve Nature but Eror in the former does generally the most mischief For if Meats and Drinks be of a raw gross Nature and not so well prepared as they ought to be yet if a man eat and drink but sparingly with a perfect Appetite the Stomach Nature's Laboratory will make better Nourishment thereof than it can of the best Food when too great Quantities are cram'd into the Belly for the natural Heat of the Stomach is of a wonderful Nature when free from these burdensom gross Humours it can as it were digest and kill the poysonous Juices of unclean Food and by an innate power cast off the malignancy thereof if the Quantity be not too great In this case Abstinence hath been found by experience to cure most Diseases that have proceeded from Superfluity if not gon too far Therefore Quantity is more dangerous to destroy Health than Quality tho' they are both very bad and often meet together and then Health is destroyed with a winged speed which is the chief cause that there are so few either Men Women or Children in perfect Health Where can you find a Man or Woman among such as are Intemperate who have attained to the Age of forty Years that are in perfect Health The best of them being afflicted with windy and scorbutick Diseases which are bred by eating too much in quantity and of an evil unclean quality These windy Diseases are also much increased by the continual eating of their Food too hot that is before the sulpherous moist Vapours which are of a fierce and sharp Nature are evaporated for this sulpherous Heat which goes away in the moist steem or vapours does contain the Spirits of the Fire as also two Qualities viz. A windy moist dulling Nature and a fierce sharp fiery one the first of these is the cause of most windy Diseases and the second does generate in the Blood a hot sharp Humour which causeth an itching and breaking out in the flesh with spots of various colours as also a weariness and indisposedness through the whole Body this likewise is the grand cause of many Leprous and Mangy Diseases especially when the Food is gross and not well prepared and too much in Quantity which Maladies do often happen altogether All Food that is prepared by fire should not be eaten till those thick sulpherous and moist steems be evaporated herein many are mistaken and even Nature it self is little understood for the generality of People account hot Food best and most profitable for Health and the good Dame will be angry if her Servants delay to eat their Food whilst Hot. But the continual eating of Hot Food from the Womb has depraved their Stomachs and natural Heat so that if they eat their Food cold it will not give them satisfaction although hot Food is contrary to the pure simple Nature and the health of the Body nevertheless the continual use of such things have awakened their Similes in the Stomach and that requires their continuation and
if a man does leave them at the first Nature seems to want them the like effect is produced by other unnatural Customs as in taking Tobacco it being a strong Martial and Saturnine Herb of a loathsom poysonous Nature and Operation whose predominant Quality is of a contrary Nature to the Stomach and natural Heat therefore the first taking of it in Pipes is both difficult and troublesom to Nature and there is no Preparations known that will make this Herb friendly or familiar to Nature but only the continual Custom of taking it which does awaken and strengthen its own Quality in the Stomach which in the beginning was weak but by custom is become strong so great is the power of every thing in increasing its likeness and it becomes as though it were natural and there is as much difficulty to leave the use of such things if not more as there was at first to make them familiar the like is true in Brandy c. for the more unnatural and greater the extream is the more troublesom it is to leave it As for those who are used to eat hot Food and are not satisfied to eat cold a little custom will bring them to a liking of it for man being a compleat Image of the whole Nature of this World and being endued with the true nature of all Elemental things therefore Custom will make every thing whether good or evil familiar to his Nature As for my own part I have not been troubled with windy Diseases since I left eating of hot Food which formerly I was afflicted with likewise the same Quantity of any sort of Food eaten Cold when a man is a little used to it will be much easier and pleasanter to the Stomach than Hot for this swells the Body sends Fumes into the head and causeth a heavy indisposedness through the whole Body but there is such a sottishness and ignorance possesses most People that they will not go out of their old Path following their false Prophets Custom and Tradition esteeming themselves to be sufficient Judges in these things Now these windy Diseases and fiery thin salt Humours that are occasioned by the afore mentioned Intemperances are very rarely or seldom ever cured for what Medicines have power to cure when the same Superfluities are continued which were the Original of the Diseases Pray where is the Medicine that will cure the French Disease if the Person infected goes on in his old way of Wantonness The very same is to be understood in all other Distempers therefore Temperance and Sobriety are Vertues that are absolutely necessary not only to help and cure Diseases when they have invaded the Body but also to prevent the Generation of them for most Distempers with a little help of Physick might be mitigated if a sober temperate Life were observed so that by degrees little or no inconveniency would be felt but what hopes are there so long as People prefer Supersluity and the pleasure of the Taste beyond Health eating and drinking of various sorts of rich Food and cordial Drinks to the full satisfaction of their Appetites which break the bounds of Temperance the Stomach not being able to make a perfect Concoctiion so that every such Meal sows the seeds of some gross Matter and evil Juice which by degrees stops the Passages obstructs the Veins corrupts the Blood and from thence flows various indispositions according to the nature of each mans Constitution and the degree of matter There are but few that think that those Oppressions and Diseases proceed from a disordered Life and a too great Quantity of Nourishment but most will be apt to believe themselves alledging That they got Cold by leaving off a Coat or by Accidental Sweating or some other act of carelesness Which must be a mistake for such things have little or no power to hurt the Health if there be not matter before-hand for you may be sure if leaving off a Coat do occasion a Cold or any kind of stoppage there was some part obstructed before and the radical Spirits of that part were weakened by some disorder or else outward Colds would not have had any power to seize that part of the Body You may also observe that if any Member or part of the Body be weakened by any accident that part will first complain when either Cold seizes it or when there is any change of Weather from whence you may conclude that the Root of all or most Diseases is first some inward Contraction of matter caused by Superfluity or other Disorder which have weakened the pure essential Spirits and the Balsamick Oyl and Virtues in that part become as it were sower or sharp wich infects the Blood and then presently ariseth a loathing and the Palate cannot distinguish the pure Relish nor taste the goodness of any Food the Attractive Quality and also the Natural Heat of the Stomach lose their strength and power then also the Reâ—â—ntive and Digestive Faculties do cease from their natural Operations for when there does happen any Violence to the pure Volatile Spirit and Balsamick Body then presently the action of the Stomach ceases and there begins a loathing and the original Poysons and central Heats are awakened which set the whole Body into a flame which poysonous Fire lay as it were hid so long as the pure Spirit and Balsamick Body were strong and this continual fiery or brimstony Spirit was only a cause of motion giving strength and vigour to the Oyl of Life which Oyl does mix and incorporate with this sulpherous fierce Fire and makes it more gentle and friendly for this Oyl is generated from this sulpherous poysonous Spirit and is as it were its Sun and shines back thereinto and does cause it to burn more gently but if this pure Spirit and Oyl be by any kind of Intemperance wounded or suffocated by overcharging Nature then the Original Poysons and sulpherous Fires do manifest themselves in their own Forms which were captivated and moderated so long as the pure Spirits and essential Oyl were strong for this essential Oyl is the true Life of Nature and the Moderator of the original Fire even as it is in the Fire of Wood so long as the Wood remains intire and no Violence done to the pure Spirits and essential Oyl this Fire gives a most pleasant and friendly refreshing heat and light it sends forth a bright shine and wholsom smell very ageeable to the Pure Spirits of those that are near it but you will find the contrary if you offer any violence to the Pure Spirits and essential Oyl whence the bright shine and friendly nature of Wood Fire does proceed as is done in making of Wood Fire into Charcoal for these pure Spirits and sweet Water or Oyl are suffocated in all Charcoal For this cause the Fire of Chorcoal is not only stronger than the Fire of Wood but it sends forth Sulpherous Fumes which will stupifie and suffocate the pure Spirits and dull
all the Senses and send dark Fumes into the Head the truth of this all People are sensible of and it is for no other Reason but because the pure Spirits and sweet Water or Oyl in the Wood is totally suffocated in making it into Charcoal and then the Original Poysons and fierce Fire is no longer moderated but does burn and manifest it self in its own Nature and Form this makes the difference between the Fire of Wood and Charcoal the one being pleasant and wholsom the other the contrary and yet they have but one Foundation the very same is to be understood in the Humane Nature and in all other Creatures and in every thing according to its Nature For this cause when a man has through any kind of Intemperance or Superfluity over-charged Nature by which the pure essential Spirits are either evaporated or suffocated and the Oyl whence the natural Life hath its true being becomes as it were sower'd and made keen and sharp then immediately follow Fevers for all Fevers do proceed from the awakened Poysons which is the Original of every Life which should not be stirred or awakened For this cause most People when sick are afflicted either with Internal or External Fevers some greater others less according to the Age or Strength of each mans Nature and when men dye in the strength of their Lives and especially such as have strong Fires what terrible Fevers will such have which burn and consume Nature in a moments time But those that dye or are sick in Age and are of weaker Heats their Fevers are more gentle if People understood this they would not be so guilty of Intemperance and so over-charge Nature for the meek friendly Life will not indure any Violence or Inequality without prejudice to the Health for as soon as the pure Spirits are wounded or evaporated Nature falls into an unequal motion and then the wrathful fierce Fires are stirred up and then Nature is in danger Take what Creature or thing you will if you wound the pure Spirits the Balsamick Body presently turns sower for one cannot subsist without the other and when this is done then in a moments time the poysonous fierce Fire does of its own accord manifest it self which it could not do so long as the pure Spirits and Balsamick Body were strong and did predominate which does moderate and cause this Fire to burn more gentle For this cause all wise and seeing men have advised to Temperance and have commended all simple and mean Food and Drinks especially those things in which the Qualities of Nature stand nearest Equality for all such Food and Drinks do distribute and administer due and moist Nourishment to both Body and Spirits in an Harmonial way which is very agreeable to Nature for all things desire Concord and Unity it being the highest degree that Nature can attain to also all sorts of Food and Drinks that do chiefly consist of Equality do powerfully beget and maintain its Likeness in the Body and also in the Mind And so on the contrary high rich Foods which consist of many Ingredients and of disagreeing Natures and Drinks in which the Fire burns too fierce do often prove dangerous to Health because such things are unequal in themselves and except they be taken very sparingly they awaken their Likenesses in the Body causing Nature to be unequal in her Operations Therefore after eating and drinking such things there follows Indispositions the Veins glowing with Heat Fumes and Vapours flying up into the Head with a dull Heaviness which is caused by the Inequality of the Food and the greatness of the Qantity which do for a time until the natural Heat hath overcome the Food and made seperation suffocate the pure Spirits and the Oyl of Life by its gross Juices and affording too much Nourishment and if such Food and Drinks be continued there are but few Constitutions that can withstand the Inconveniencies that attend such a Life but Abstinency and a sober Diet with Exercise are the only means to abate all superfluous matter and indeed it hinders the Generation of all offensive Humours ABSTINENCY is the only Physitian that a man can make use of for it secretly does digest all kind of Obstructions and that with great ease and pleasure to the Patient far beyond the common and gross Drugs which Physitians administer Also ABSTINENCY is the most skilful Cook giving a most pleasant taste to every mean thing by which a simple Person becomes skilful for he can distinguish the Taste and the inward Sweetness of each thing and he is thereby stirred up with an inward inclination to praise and admire God in the use of all his Blessings ABSTINENCY does weaken and abate the Fury of the most Cholerick complexioned People that they become more Sanguine it openeth the Gate of Humility and is a Friend to Charity it encourageth Hope and is the only Enemy of that base and cruel Spirit Suspicion the universal Fomentor of mankind ABSTINENCY is a sure Counsellor and a Conductor of all the observers thereof in the way of Truth encreasing Faith and causeth them to eye and follow the divine Hand of Providence giving Peace and Tranquility to the Mind and Health to the Body many are the Vertues and Benefits thereof it also gives the advantage of Time and Opportunity and is the fore-runner of Wisdom it openeth the hidden and secret Doors of Nature in a mans self and renders him capable of all Discipline and is the only Enemy to all Evil and a Friend to all Vertue The Wise and Prudent in all Ages have accounted her their chief Friend and Guide by her Vertues they have overcome the inward Enemies of their Members ABSTINENCY also preventeth the Generation of all superfluous matter whence Diseases in the Body do proceed she abateth the desires because a small matter will suffice a regular Appetite resisting Pride and careth not for Estimation she conquereth all her Enemies and maketh no noise she beats â—o Drums nor dischargeth no Guns she punisheth â—ot the Body with Labour nor burdeneth the Mind with Care she wearieth not the Life by Sea nor by Land to obtain that which will not stand her in stead she will not admit of any Controversies nor Law-suits she will not contend for much because a little supplies her Wants she standeth still and is silent and yet obtaineth all things CHAP. III. A Discourse of the several sorts of Flesh commonly Eaten THough I have before shewn the inconveniencies of the feeding upon Flesh so commonly and in such excess as is now-a-days practised and rather recommended the Lovers of Wisdom and Health to the more innocent use of Grains Fruits and Herbs yet since there is no stemming the Tide of Popular Opinion and Custom and People will still gorge themselves with the Flesh of their Fellow-Animals I have thought fit here to give a particular account of each sort of Flesh that at least you may chuse that which is
be very profitable First After full Meals and excessive Draughts see that they fast longer than their usual time is this gives great advantage to the natural Heat by which the digestive Faculty of the Stomach does by its secret attractive Power draw unto it self all superfluity and evil Juices that have been bred through Intemperance digesting and throwing off all such matter which might otherwise occasion Diseases for the action and natural heat of the Stomach is never idle but has always its continual motion and secret attraction and Hunger is so powerful that it will draw the very Flesh off the Bones Therefore fasting after immoderate eating and drinking is a sure Remedy to prevent Diseases and Surfeits drinking good store of Water-Gruel made thin and boyl'd quick the following day without any Ingredients in it will cleanse the Stomach and help to carry off the gross matter and evil Juices which do proceed from Repletion If these Rules were observed by those that abound in Meats and Drinks there would not be so many afflicted with the Gout in the Joynts and Pains in the Limbs Swelling and Breaking-out with so many Mangy and Leprous Diseases which are chiefly occasioned through Intemperance and want of Exercises Likewise all Rich compounded Foods which are often of disagreeing Natures do not only destroy the Health but do dull the edge of the Appetite taking away the true Taste and Pleasure which good Stomachs and sharp Appetites enjoy It may be truly said That the Intemperate Person is deprived of all true and natural Pleasure for those that are continually accustomed to rich Compounded Foods and strong Cordial Drinks as Wine c. by the frequent use of them they become rather burdensom than pleasant the same is to be understood of those that live an idle soft Life their whole body is as it were indisposed their Members and Limbs often ake for want of Exercise because they are weak also their Passages are fur'd and stopped so that the Blood becomes thick and gross and the natural Spirits impure such People are on every occasion apt to sweat being also subject to internal Heats which do much disorder the whole Body but the ordinary sort of People who are constrained to live on mean simple Food and small Drink and to labour hard do imagine that the greatest happiness in this World is to live an idle Life and to have their Tables daily furnished with variety of rich Food and strong Drinks few of them considering that the true pleasure of eating and drinking is in having a perfect Appetite and that without Labour no man can be brisk and lively either in Body or Spirit which Superfluity of rich Food strong Drink and Idleness doth destroy because most of such things are unequal in their parts and so beget Inequality also they are endued with too great Vertue whence doth proceed too much Nourishment which is the Foundation of most Diseases for this cause mean and simple Meats and Drinks are not only most greateful to Nature but do best support the Body in perfect Health and Strength far beyond all the richest compounded Flesh Fish and strong Drinks though all such things are and may be very useful now and then being moderately used for â—he necessity of Nature as the Scripture saith all Gods Creatures are good being received with Thanks-giving Most Meats and Drinks in their own Nature are simple and innocent it is generally Compositions that make Meats and Drinks not only too Rich but also Improper CHAP. VI. Of Waters Ale Beer and Tobacco to which is added the consideration of Cloathing Houses and Beds and what great Benefits arise from Moderation and Temperance in those things THE Element of Water is not inferior to any other of the Elements neither is Nature wanting to work wonderfully thereby there is so great a Necessity of Water that without it no Animal can live nor any Herb or Plant bring forth for in it is the Seminary Vertue of all things especially of Animals whose Seed is manifestly Watrish The Seeds also of all Herbs and Plants although they are Earthy must notwithstanding be rooted in moisture before they can be fruitful The great and illuminated Prophet Moses tells us that before the Creation when the Earth was without Form the Spirit of the Lord moved on the Face of the Waters and in another place that the Plants did not grow because God had not caused it to Rain upon the Earth Nay so great is the Efficacy of this cleansing Element that the spiritual Regeneration cannot be performed without it as our Saviour Christ himself testified to Nicomedus and very great have the Vertues of it been in Religious Worship in former Ages among the Prophets and Wise Men in Expiations and Purifications Innumerable are the Benefits and so various the Uses thereof both in the Generation Nourishment and Increase of things that some of the Wise Men have concluded that Water was the beginning of all things and first of all Elements and the most Potent because it hath the mastery over all the rest for it swalloweth up the Earth extinguishes Flames ascends on high and by a most wonderful divine Hand and the stretching forth of the Clouds challengeth the Heavens for its Throne whence falling down in gentle Showers and refreshing Dews as from Natures choicest Limbeck impregnated with Coelestial Vertues it becomes the cause of all things that grow in the Earth Nor is there scarce any part of Nature more full of Wonders than these liquid Regions Iosephus tells us of a River near Sina which runneth with a full Channel all theS abbath-Day and then on a sudden it ceaseth as if the Spring were stopped and all the six days you may pass over it dry-shod but again on the seventh-day no Man knowing the reason of it the Waters return in abundance as before wherefore the Inhabitants therabouts call it the Sabbath-days River The Gospel testifies of a Sheep-Pool into which whosoever stepped first after the Waters were troubled by the Angel was made whole of whatsoever Disease he had Many secret and admirable Vertues the Creator hath endued this Element with as in all Ages hath been manifested for it being pure and clear in its own Nature it is the only and alone thing by which all external things are purified purged and cleansed But if it be adulterated or incorporated with any other Liquor or Juice then it becomes less pure and will not so well perform its Office yet it may make them better and more useful Though it be a vulgar Proverb As weak as Water Yet I must tell you Water is more strong and sublime than most imagine for it contains a most ravishing and excellent Spirituous Balsamick Vertue whence proceeds that pure sweet refreshing Quality whereby it hath Power by its innate Vertue to digest and purifie all sorts of Food Also in all Preparations it is so Innocent and Friendly that it dissipates the gross phlegmy Bodies
fine and many of their Creatures have hardly any Wool or Hair on them The wonderful and wise Creator hath endued every Country and Climate with such a permanent Nature even in the beginning as brings forth Herbs Fruits and Grains which are proper and most agreeable to the Natures and Constitutions of the People born in that place And as the cold Countries produce abundance of Cloth and Furs so on the contrary hot Climates afford Silks and find Calicoes and the like which are not proper nor useful for us neither are ours for them How contrary to Reason and Nature it is for men in cold Countries to cloath themselves with Silk and fine Calico And so on the contrary for those in hot Countries to cloath themselves with our strong thick Woolen Cloth and Furs But mens Health is not so much endangered by outward Garments as by too great an Indulgence of Nature in the use of Meats and Drinks the one being External and the other Internal It is known by Experience that the mixing of the East and West-Indian and Spanish Fruits with our Food and Drinks have encreased Diseases and made the People more sickly than in former Ages with many new Distempers which had not any existence among us for most or all those things that are brought from those Countries are not proper for Food and are also endued with contrary Natures to the Fruits and Grains our own Country produceth as all sorts of Spices Nutmegs Cloves Mace Cinnamon Pepper and Ginger they are all extream hot and dry and are not proper to be used but in a Physical way and indeed we do not need them in that way neither for we have Herbs and Roots that grow in our own Climate more proper for that use though the Physicians have been as willing to deceive the People as the Merchants by telling them the many excellent Vertues contained in them Yet it cannot be denied but that those Spices are Excellent in their Nature and Operation though not proper for our Constitutions nor to be mixed among our Food and Drinks for that Food in which such things are mixed does by degrees destroy the Natural Heat of the Stomach drying up the Radical Moisture and those cool Vapours which would otherwise refresh the whole Body keeping of it pleasant making the Spirits brisk and full of Life this pleasant Quality is destroyed by Eating and Drinking such things in which Spices Sugars and Spanish Fruits are mixed it makes the Blood also of a hot sharp keen quality and causes thick hot Fumes to ascend into the Head making the Head Hands and Feet and all the external parts to glow with an unnatural Heat it deadens and dulls the Action of the Stomach and takes away the sharpness of the Appetite this may be known to every one if they would observe the operation of such things for they are unequal in their parts the heat bearing a predominacy in them they do by Similes cause all sorts of Foods and Drinks with which the are mixed to become like themselves viz. Unequal if great care be not taken And the worst of all is after our Stomachs are accustomed to such things we cannot be well satisfied without them for they are in some degree like Wine whereof if a man drink frequently he cannot without a great deal of Trouble and some Hazard as to his Health refrain from it the like is true in drinking of Brandy and taking of Tobacco which Customs are far more dangerous than the former For every sort of Food and Drink in which Nature is in its Properties Unequal does powerfully stir up and beget its likeness in the Stomach causeth Nature to be unequal in her Operations for no sorts of Meats or Drinks do more destroy the Health and Welfare of Nature than those that contain too much Nourishment and whose predominant quality is too hot which generally is the effects of all such Foods and Drinks in which the above-mentioned Ingredients are mixed When I consider the strange and unnatural mixture and the variety of Meats and Drinks that are too commonly used I cannot admire the Unhealthiness of our Age And certainly if this Nation do continue and encrease their eating and drinking the improper Fruits Spices Wines and other things that are the Products and Growths of other Countries as has been done for these forty or fifty years last past we shall be corrupted in our Radixes as too many are already all those things being now commonly used which have greatly encouraged other Nations to make such quantities of them as that they are become so Cheap that it is scarcely worth the Merchants while to bring them over for where there was one pound of Sugar spent forty or fity years ago now there is a Thousand and where there was then one quart of Wine drunk there is now Ten Thousand The use of Tobacco and Brandy a hundred years since was hardly known nay the use of our Ale and Beer has hardly been above two hundred years which now we account most Natural there is somewhat may be said against Beer but because it is made of our own Grain I shall not say any thing here of its Nature or Operation having treated of it in another place Great hath been the Increase of those Foreign Ingredients of late years insomuch that they are esteemed good to be mixed among common Food and Drinks as also to be taken Physically for you may hear many say that Tobacco is good to prevent Fumes and Vapours from flying into the Head and so make it their constant practice to take it Now if this had any such operation as they say the constant use of it would destroy its Vertues the same may be alledged of Brandy Wine Spices c. It is to be noted and pitied that Aged People do not only eat and drink such things as are hurtful but they mix Spices Sugars and Fruits among all their Childrens Food and between whiles give them Wine and strong Drink which must be very Injurious to their Health for all Children are tender both as to their Spirits and Bodies and because they are growing their Nature requires great store of moisture which can be no otherways maintained but by a simple and mean Food and Drink If you mix their Food with Sugars Wine Spices and Spanish Fruits they will certainly over-heat the Body stop the Pores dry up the Radical Moisture hinder the pure moist Vapours of the Air that they cannot penetrate the Body These destroy the Stomach blunt the edg of the Appetite contracting the Vessels of their Stomachs making them lean or Consumptive and in others breed abundance of gross Phlegmatick Humors all according to the Nature of each Child's Constitution It causeth likewise all their external parts to burn and glow with unnatural Heat generating many Windy and Watery Diseases and Evil Juices in their Joynts All these Maladies are much augmented by other indulgent ways Women use towards
And especially most burthensom to weak Natures are such Syrups when mixt with improper Ingredients and Liquors as with cold distilled Waters of various Herbs of disagreeing Natures and then to add as most do that which they call Epidemick Water which makes a Cordial sicker than the Patient that takes it I would have any moderate Person consider and judge whether a man in good Health can without great violence to his Stomach and disorder sup off such Cordials and other compounded Slip-slops as the Sick are forced continually to swallow down And if so what a deplorable condition are the Sick in when most of the things both for Food and Physick that are ordered and prescribed by Physicians and Apothecaries are generally nauseats to Nature So that when we would describe a filthy abominable Taste we say it tastes like Physick or like a Medicine 'T is enough in all Conscience to make a well Person Heart-sick to be confined but two or three Weeks to the Circumstances a sick Body is subjected unto by these Men of Method and their Tutor'd Creatures the Nurses For First he must have all his Drink boyled forsooth with a Crust of Bread in it This too he must drink as hot as may be endured and Mistress Nurse for pure Laziness will make at Once as much fulsom slip-slop as will serve a whole Day and Night and so the poor languishing Creature must take it heated again and again Then Gaffer Doctor enjoyns him every two hours a quantity of his sick Cordial and to compleat the Tragedy of his Martyrdom there must be a rouzing Fire in the Room tho' it be at Midsummer the Curtains must be drawn close and a Cloth before the Windows so that there can scarce come the least Breeze of Wind or pure Air into the Room whence the imprisoned Air therein becomes sulpherous and so noxious that such Chambers send forth such strong fulsom Scents and Fumes as will disorder the most healthy if they continue there but a while These are some of the abominable I had almost said Murderous courses the poor sick are confined unto which is much to be pitied and deserves to be remedied And therefore tho' this Discourse may seem a Digression I am confident the Judicious will pardon it 8. Another very improper Mixture is when People eat several sorts of Flesh and Fish at one and the same Meal for these two Creatures are of different Radixes therefore being eaten together make an unwholsom Nourishment in the Body of a contrary Nature to them both especially when the various sorts of Sawces and Ingredients of that kind are intermingled There are some foolish Epicures that stow so many various Kinds and Natures in their Paunches as if they would eat up all the fraight of Noah's Ark at a Mouthful and cannot Dine without as many different Ingredients as an Apothecary puts into the Composition of Mithridate which is said to consist of about Two Hundred But so far were the Wise Antients from this extravagant Gluttony and Uncleanness that such of them as did admit the eating of clean Flesh and Fish would not use the same Vessels is preparing the one as they did with the other but had distinct Kettles and Platters for each to keep them apart 9. There is another sort of Food much eaten by the English and more than by any other Nation viz. Pies which are many times compounded of Ten or Twenty several Ingredients many of them of contrary Natures and Radixes as first there is the finest Wheat-flour the course or branny part which contains the most opening cleansing digestive faculty being unhappily taken away and so curiously separated that the fine Flour thereby becomes of a stopping glutinating or glewing Nature 2dly There is good store of Butter mixt with it And 3dly Flesh and several sorts of Spices and Spanish Fruits and many other things which are all baked together and there they boyl in the deadly sulphurous Airs of the Ovens without the Influences of pure Air and without sufficient Liquor to help the Digestion or cleanse and purifie the grossness of such things but they lie suffocated in their own Juices the Good and Evil all jumbled together whence the whole becomes Naught the Nourishment such Food yields is neither proper nor wholsom for the Inequality of the Ingredients have destroyed all the simple Vertues of each so that there is Confusion and Discord awakened which in the Body irritate their Likenesses and thence Diseases and Disorders follow Therefore the more Wise and well-minded Persons in all Ages whose desire was to know and fear the Lord and assist his Hand-maid Nature have always chose the most simple innocent Meats and Drinks knowing that such had near Affinity to Harmony and had not power to beget or excite any quality or property in Nature but what was like themselves Peaceable and Harmless for the nearer the Equality and Concord any sort of Food or Drink is the greater Power it has to preserve the Body and Mind in the like sweet Temper and Unity which cuts off all Diseases in the Bud and prevents their very Seeds For this cause Water throughout the World in Primitive Times and in most Countries to this very day has been and is esteemed the best Drink for that it gives to such as drink it a full satisfaction whereas all other sorts of Drinks especially those that exceed in any particular quality do leave some desire behind after a man has drank them to drink more though perhaps already he hath exceeded in Quantity the very same is in superfluous Food only men cannot eat so long nor so much as they can Drink because Food is heavy and hard of Concoction and requires time to digest whereas drink is thin and Spirituous and therefore it quickly makes separation and finds many ways to pass away which Food cannot do Therefore over-charged Meals of sumptuous Food do often prove more dangerous to the Health of the Body than a debauch of Drinking tho both are worse than bruitish and very hazardous But on the contrary those that accustom themselves to simple Meats and Drinks do not only highly satisfie and gratifie Nature and preserve themselves in perfect Health which is the reward the Lord has ordained for the Temperate but they cut off all Superfluities the Seminaries of Diseases in the very Bud whereas the Gluttonous and Intemperate are liable to a thousand Snares and Inconveniencies which makes their Bodies unhealthful and unserviceable and beclouds their Minds and Intellectuals so that they can neither know themselves nor their Creator in any other thing as they ought But still there are some sorts of Food that may be properly Compounded as bearing a Simile with each other As 1. Bread Butter and Herbs either Boyled or Raw as also several sorts of Roots 2. Bread and several sorts of Fruits 3. Bread and Milk or Milk and Flour boyled together with some Water and Oat-meal and Milk and Water
boyled 4. Bread and Butter Bread and Cheese 5. Milk and ripe Fruits as Milk and Apples c. 6. Butter and several kinds of Pulses boyled 7. Bread with all sorts of Flesh fit to be eaten 8. Herbs and Flesh. 9. Roots and Flesh. 10. Bread and Eggs but Butter is but an improper Ingredient with Eggs. 11. Bread and Fish 12. Oyl and Fish for Butter is not so good Also Fish is wholsomer boyled in Water than prepared any other way I could nominate many more Mixtures but these are the most natural and agreeable to each other and most of them have mutual and friendly Aspects from their Radixes so that what variation these Ingredients do make 't is for the better they advancing each others Vertues If People could be perswaded to be moderate in Quantity and prefer such simple Viands and proper Mixtures in their food and drink and observe to prepare their Meat according to the Rules before specified most of those cruel Diseases now reigning and raging would be prevented There is abundance more in the observation of these things than the generality of People understand or imagin All that I desire of the Reader is that he would be so friendly to himself to make Tryal for no man can be truly sensible of the Evil of any thing except he separate himself from his Errors and tries the contrary Butchers Tallow-Chandlors Poulterers and many other offensive Trades perceive not those filthy Stinks and Fumes which Slaughter-houses Melting-houses c. send forth except they separate themselves for a while into a more pure and cleaner Air and then they become capable of distinguishing one from the other For the like Reason those that have accustomed themselves to unnatural and improper mixtures of Food or bad Preparations their Pallates and Stomachs are become One with such things and they can as little distinguish the pure natural Taste and Scents of Food from the contrary as the Trades-men afore-said can the noisom fumes of their own Shops and Work-houses There are many Thousands of brave finical Dames in this Nation that are so curious in their Houses and in whitening their Linnen that they themselves can hardly tell what will please them and yet after all they lie on Beds that do really stink worse than Common Houses of Office tho being used to them they do not smell it neither can they so great is the power of the Evil Nature and Custom And in these stinking Dunghills these delicate Madams spend two Thirds of their time and surely then 't is no marvel if they are afflicted with so many Diseases and Weaknesses for if they did commit no other Disorders or Intemperances this alone were sufficient to destroy their Health as I have at large demonstrated in my Discourse of the Generation of that pernicious Vermin called Buggs CHAP. IX The Reasons in Nature why Cities and great Towns are subject to the Pestilence and other Diseases more than Country-Villages The Excellency of Solitude and Advantages of a retir'd Country-Life THe Reasons are 1. That the Air which is the Essential Life of all material Beings is defiled by the Congregating of such Troops of People together whose very Breath is enough to make the Air thick hot and sulpherous 2. The Closeness of the Streets and Houses whereby the pleasant Influences and Salutiferous Breezes of Wind are obstructed which does condense the Air and render it thick and humid 3. The abundance of Smoke that the multitude of Chimnies send forth which is of a keen sharp sulpherous Quality that incorporating it self with the Air encreases its dullness and fills it more full of gross Humidity whence proceeds Stoppages and many Obstructions and Diseases of the Breast and the Blood becomes tainted with a sharp salt Humour that causes the Scurvey and a wearisom Indisposition throughout the whole Body 4. The great Number of Houses of Easement that breath and send forth their putrid Smells and Scents into the Air together with the various Uncleannesses that otherwise proceed from both Healthy and Diseased People together with the Washings and Cleansings of Houses and the fulsom Liquors Flesh and Fish have been boyled in mixed with other loathsom and filthy Excrements all which are continually exposed in the open Air and do wonderfully defile it not forgetting the Smoke Dust and Ashes of Sea-Coal where the same is used which is of a pernicious Nature 5. The vast Number of various sorts of Beasts and other Creatures that are by Droves daily slaughtered and no care taken but their Blood is exposed to the open Air and runs through the Kennels as if it were clean Water and no more notice taken of it whereas the same does not only send forth deadly Smells and pernicious Vapours but fills the Air with Revengeful Spirits which are inhal'd into the Bodies of Men and there stir up Smilies Add to this the great Numbers of stinking Trades which are in such places as Tallow-Chandlers Tanners Dressers of Leather Soap-Boylers c. All these gross Scents Fumes and evil Vapours that Cities are subject to especially great Cities and populous such as Lodon Paris c. their Nature being Saturnine and Martial proceeding from the gross fierce wrathful matter as deriv'd from things wherein the pure Spirituous parts and Balsamick Vertues are destroyed and totally suffocated so that there does remain nothing but the gross phlegmatick Body and poysonous Spirits whose Fumes incorporate themselves with their Similies in the Air and all the Elements and Stars where by a secret and sympathetical power they awaken by degrees the wrathful and poysonous Properties for every particular Quality in Nature has a Key in its self to open the Gates of its own Principle whence proceed Pestilential Airs according to the degree of the awakened Poysons and Wrath there being a certain sympathy between the Terrestrial Bodies and the Coelestial for all things both in Heaven and in Earth have but one only ground and flow from the two grand Principles viz. Good and Evil. For this cause when the original Poysons in Nature and wrathful Spirits are by the occasions before mentioned or any others stirred up that they overcome the pure Vertues they powerfully penetrate all Elements and Bodies and wheresoever they find matter capable or disposed to receive them incorporate themselves and with highest diligence endeavour to destroy the good Vertues and thence arise evil Airs and various Diseases which suddenly seize the Bodies of Men. And this Nature doth not only in the Evil but also in the Good but not in a sensible way but in a Natural by Likenesses where things agree in Number Weight and Measure there they powerfully incorporate and rejoyce and cast out their Contraries A pregnant Example of this we have in Sounds if two Instruments of one sort be turned to an equal pitch strike one of the Strings and the same String on the other Instrument will shake or tremble this I have done my self and also seen it
done by others so that there is no boubt to be made of the matter of fact The very same sympathetical Power have all other things though in some it be more Occult. What man in the World would believe the attractive Inclination which the Loadstone has upon Iron if it did not appear to his sight All or most men of Reason believe that the Constellations Signs and Elements have a particular and also a general Influence on all Inferior Earthly Bodies which is apparent to all our Senses varying Times and Seasons Night and Day making the Earth fruitful and the contrary and do not our Bodies alter as the Elements do And as the Influences of the Sun vary so do all things under Heaven How verdent and sprightly does our Mother Earth appear in fresh and rich Emdroideries and all the Trees in new Perriwigs and Flowers springing and wanton Birds with inimitable Harmony seem to welcom the approach of that great Eye of the World when he begins to renew his Visits to us in the Spring and all Creatures look blyth and jolly and the Blood capers in Youthful Veins and nothing appears in Natures universal Face but Smiles and Gallantry On the contrary when he with draws his vivifying Beams and retreats to the Chambers of the South how dull and dejected does every thing become and Fields and Trees stript of their Ornament and Beauty languish like forsaken Lovers and appear forlorn as hopeless Prisoners and Melancholy as old Age Nay if under the Protection of Truth we might Alarum lazy Tradition with a bold Paradox without dreading Excommunication from the Vertuoso for advancing Heresies in Philosophy I would add that Inferiors counter-act on Superiors as well as Superiors on them that all things in this lower World have the like Influences on the Coelestial Bodies and Elements as the Coelestials have on Sublunaries and Terrestrials and that this mutual Influx they have one upon the other by a certain natural Attraction and sympathetical Inclination Thus the wonderful and wise Creator has endued every thing with an Attractive and Influential Vertue and hence it often comes to pass that the Sons of Men by their Unclean Conversations do awaken and stir up the Wrath of the Coelestial Bodies and by a secret and yet powerful Attraction draws down the malignant Configurations which sometimes cause Epidemical Diseases at other times Wars Famine c. all according to the Nature of the Evils or Property of Nature that was awakened As for Example If the People of any Town or City give way to Uncleannesses in Meats Drinks c. and addicted to the Impurities of Venus as most such places are then by mutual Inclination the like Property in the Coelestial Bodies and Elements are excited and by degrees contaminate the whole Atmosphere or parts of the Air next the Earth with Pestilential Poysons causing Botches Boils Venerial Diseases Fevers and Plagues all according to the degree of the awakened Wrath and the length or shortness of the time of its operation for all Plagues and Pestilential Airs caused by Uncleanness do by degrees corrupt the pure Spirits or venerial Properties in the Body for whensoever this sweet Quality is violated the Distempers thence arising will for the most part manifest themselves in Botches Boils Scabs or Leprosies and Spots in the Flesh often accompanied with general Weakness and a decay of the Radical Moisture But if the Properties of Saturn and Mars be so violently stirred up or awakned and the fierce Storms of Nature do predominate in the Hearts and Souls of Men then follow Tumults Wars Burning of Towns and Cities and such like Calamities and Devastations For Mens evil Words and Works and Unmerciful Cruelties certainly awaken the Wrath of God in the Stars and Elements and hasten on Judgments No Man or Nation can escape the great Law of Retaliation which the Creator ordained in the beginning for Moses's Law was the greatest and most excellent of all Laws because it was built and had its Root in Nature therefore whensoever the Iews observed it they were sure of being blessed for Those that were obedient thereunto did preserve the Camp of the Lord from being defiled The Camp of the Lord is Man and if Man keep himself from being defiled he will not awaken the Wrath of God in the Stars and Elements but as he keeps himself clean and from doing Violence and obeys the Voice of Wisdom and follows the friendly Counsels of the divine Principle of God's eternal Love and Light then 't is most certain that by a secret power he will awaken the benevolent Properties of the Coelestial Bodies and Elements and attract their propitious Influences For the Lord promised to such as were obedient the Dew of Heaven but when they became Rebellious Unclean and Intemperate then the Lord permitted the Evil Configurations and Influences of the Coelestial Bodies to take place and many sore Evils and Calamities they endured This the Scriptures of Truth do testifie and indeed it cannot be otherwise for it is the Eternal Law of God in Nature That whatsoever Property or Principle Men do awaken and enter into with their free-will whether it be good or evil the same grows strong and he is comprehended by it and swallowed up in it and made a subject unto that Kingdom and this both in the particular and in general as Experience teaches for whensoever any particular Man gives way to any particular Evil that is a sin against God and his Law in Nature and shall continue in the same without Repentance 't is certain he will pull down the Judgments upon himself but as Mens Sins and Transgressions are not alike so neither their Rewards or Punishments This is further manifested by Mens Words and Works doth not every word carry the Power of its Principle whence it had its birth For that Property that was predominate in the Word Sound or Tone the same or the like Quality it does stir up and awaken in those to whom the Words or Discourses are directed whether it be good or evil if the Words are formed by the Saturnine Property then they awaken Envy Contention and a Morose Dogged Humour If they proceed from Mars then the fierce wrathful Fires are excited and so of the rest For if it were not so an Angry Word would not have any power to move them to Anger to whom it is directed nor would Loving Speeches beget Love nor a Meek Answer according to Solomons Observation Turn away Wrath But as one Man has power to stir up and awaken Love or Anger in another by his Words and Works the same is to be understood in all other things for there is a proportionate similitude between Men and the Coelestial Bodies and Elements Man being not only an Image and Likeness of God and Nature but the Horizon of both Worlds in which the Superiour and Inferiour Natures are conjoyned and the Son of the Stars and Elements so that there is a power
weak that they are not able to make a perfect Concoction or Separation for such Food is apt to fur the Passages and breed abundance of evil Juices which fills the whole with gross Phlegmatick Humours that makes it dull heavy and indisposed 5. Women ought not to drink Wine or strong Drink which are bad for Men but an hundred fold worse for Women especially Brandy and all distilled Liquors and Spirits for all such Drinks do not only destroy the natural Heat causing the Stomach to become cold and attended with a sick qualmishness but also send Fumes into the Head weaken the whole Body and giveoccasion for the Generation of Windy Diseases and Vapours and indeed all strong Drinks if not very sparingly taken destroy the Health of the Female Sex being contrary to their Tempers for their Heats being weak in comparison of Mens and their Spirits few therefore every inequality is harmful to them and their Children Besides they are subject to various Diseases which cannot happen to Men and of all these strong Liquor is an especial promoter and therefore the Philosophical Ancients alotted only Water for Womens drink And if our Women were but sensible of the ill Consequences of their frequent Sipping of strong Drinks they would be as far from doing it as those in other Countries there being hardly any Women in the known World that are such great Drinkers and lovers of strong Liquors as the English neither are any so turbulent fiery and Masculine Spirited as accordingly they are troubled with various Diseases to which the Women in other Countries are strangers Furthermore strong Drinks if not sparingly taken heat the Blood causing sharp salt Humours to possess it which also makes their Milk hot and windy very prejudicial to Children for whatever Inconveniences the Mother suffers the Child partakes thereof both in the time of Pregnancy or breeding and whilst it sucks Therefore Moderation and Temperance both in quantity and quality is highly necessary for them because the whole preservation of mankind does in an especial manner depend on their prudent living 6. If Women have regard to their own Health and the Preservation of their Children they ought not to eat any Food hotter than their Blood but after their Food is prepared let it stand open that the fiery sulpherous Vapours may freely pass and fly away for those Steems are very prejudicial to all Peoples Heath but more especially to the Females And this ought to be observed in Flesh above all other Food and also in Puddings and the like things that are of a gross strong Quality and so have the greater power to retain those fiery Steams which are of an hot griping windy Nature and causing a Mank or Scurvy in the Blood and makes the Milk windy and sharp which violently gripes the poor young tender Babe that sucks it 'T is true Use not only Familiarizes the most unnatural things but renders them as it were Natural and in some respects almost Necessary witness Tobacco-smoaking to such as are besotted to it so that often times the leaving off those ill Habits do prove very hard and difficult nay sometimes the abrupt leaving them is as dangerous as the Evils that flow from the constant use of them so easily is Nature depraved and turn'd out of her simple way Thus such as have long used themselves to hot Foods if at any time they miss them and are forc'd to make shift with cold then their Stomach seems empty and unsatisfied only because 't is depraved and for want of a little Custom of eating cold Hence many believe that there is good Nourishment and Vertue in hot Food viz. better than in the same Food cold or as warm as the Blood nay many are so fond of this fiery sulpherous Steam or pernicious Vapour that the good Dame will be angry with her Maid if by any neglect she let this precious Steam fly away calling all the Family to come quickly lest the Meat be cold and as she calls it gâ—â—d for nothing Whereas in truth it will be then much the more wholsom for those pernicious sulpherous Fumes ought to be separated from the Meat before it be received into the Body And a little use of eating cold Food would remove all such ill Habits and make cold Meats and Drinks more friendly and satisfactory to Nature and help to prevent the Generation of all windy Diseases Furthermore as cold Food does sharpen the Appetite so neither will the same quantity thereof swell the Body or indispose Nature so much as the like quantity of hot Victuals will and the Body will feel it self more airy and lightsomer 'T is true hot Food will heat the Body especially all the external parts but then it is an unnatural heat which is more burthensom than pleasant for the fiery sulpherous Steems that remain in Food after 't is prepared are of the very same Nature and Operation as the heat of Charcoal and so Experience will teach you that 't is very unwholsom to hold ones Head over the Steems that proceed either from boyld or baked Foods or over Furnaces or Pots or which proceed from Ovens for they take away the Complexion and make People look Pale and Weakly now if their Operations externally have such a visible ill effect how much more Prejudicial will they be when internally received and with the Food swallowed into the Body Possibly in some strong Constitutions those Inconveniences may not be felt till Age comes on but few then are free from them tho insensibly from what causes they proceed Also it is to be noted that this fiery heat Food does retain after 't is prepared is contrary unto the natural Heat both of the Food and the Stomach too and will no longer remain than whilst 't is forced by the constant heat of the Fire and then of its own accord will separate and fly away as soon as 't is removed from the Fire in an humid Vapour which Fumes if they be stopt by covering such Foods so that they cannot separate and fly away then they will re-enter and â—â—use the Meat to eat strong and fulsom In a word 't is nothing but Custom that makes hot Foods easie and agreeable but all the Custom in the World can never make them so natural and friendly as Cold after a little use 7. They ought to accustom themselves to moderate Exercises in open Airs which is profitable for all People but especially for those of the fair Sex for it hardens and strengthens Nature begets a good Appetite prevents Obstructions breeds good Blood and pure Spirits which renders the whole Body lightsom and pleasant nothing next Temperance in Meats and Drinks being more profitable than moderate Motion and Airy Houses and Rooms and not to pen up themselves as many do in close hot Rooms with great Fires which prevents the most pleasant and friendly Element the Air that it cannot have its free Influencies and so what Air does remain in
Medicines have such Power either to prevent or remedy these Disorders in the Body as Temperance Cleanness and good Order for they have an inward Power and certain Efficacy for that purpose and if Temperance be continued it will augment the Radical Moisture and pure Spirits and by degrees strengthens the natural Heat of the Stomach which only hath the Power to draw all such windy gross sharp matter from all parts of the body and so cast it out if thro' length of time it be not become too central for the natural Heat hath a magnetick Vertue that forcibly attracts all such matter as burdens Natures even from the most inward Cavities and furthest Ciroumference unto it self and there digests and throws it off both upwards downwards if a proper degree of Temperance be observed both in quantity quality fresh supplies of Food Drink come not too often For so powerful is this attractive Faculty of the Stomach that it will draw the very Flesh off the Bones as is most manifest both by men beasts if the Stomach be not supplied with convenient quantities of Meats and Drinks for this Heat which serves for concoction separation is never idle but always continues its motion action so long as the Spirits are lively that there doth remain any Oyl in the Lamp For this cause moderate Fasting hath been commended by all wise men a clean well prepared Diet hath great Power not only to prevent Diseases both of the Body Mind but also to root them out especially when the cause of such Diseases as generally it happens have arisen from over-charging of Nature with too great quantities of Flesh Fish the more because People make no distinction between Clean Unclean nor of the Seasons of the Year of the Surfeits or Diseases the Cattle are subject unto whose Flesh they eat nor regard the improper Mixtures of such Food c. 2. The second cause of Windy Diseases I assign to be the frequent eating and drinking of Hot Foods I do not mean such as are hot in their own nature operation but such as having been prepared by Fire are eaten before those fiery sulpherous Steems are evaporated for they are of a very pernicions venomous quality and altogether of a contrary Nature to the genuine Heat of Nature particularly of the Stomach also for this fiery heat will no longer incorporate it self with such Foods Broths c. than it is forced by the constant heat of the fire for as soon as they are taken from thence this sulpherous Steem or humid Vapour will hastily separate of its own accord which does manifest that this Heat is an Alien that Nature casts it out as an Enemy for indeed it contains three venomous qualities that are absolutely pernicious to Health viz. 1st The first is an harsh Fire of a Saturnine Martial Nature of a keen sharp fretting operation which dulls the pure Spirits infects the Blood with a Maingy itching Humour 2dly It contains a gross deadly poysonous Water or humid quality that does incorporate it self with the grossest parts of the Air fly away in a steem or vapour if Food be eaten before those fiery evil vapours be separated evaporated it swells the body hurts the natural Heat of the Stomach insensibly but certainly generates both Windy Watery Diseases filling the inward Vessels of the Body with evil venomous Juices sending Fumes into the Head disordering the whole body this more especially in Women Children who as we have shewed you before are by Nature much more liable to Windy Diseases than men 3dly If this furious Steem be by any Vessel that covers the Meat after 't is taken out of the Pot or off from the Spit so that it cannot fly away but is stopt turned back or confined to stay with such Food after 't is prepared then will it re enter into it and make it flat and heavy alter the Taste of it so that it will be strong gross on the Pallat heavy on the Stomach It is also to be noted that the common eating of Hot Foods does possess the Blood with a salt sharp fretting Humour like a Mainge if Children were not accustomed to such things from their Mothers Breast it would more sensibly break out upon them in that kind For this very Reason in Dogs and many other Creatures if such hot Broths or Food be given them it will cause the Mainge in their Blood the very same it occcasions in the human Nature but not externally so manifest because rendered more familiar by use 3. The Third Cause not only of Windy Diseases but of many others is Peoples eating and drinking too often Nothing more burdens Nature or generates more crude sharp Humors for when fresh Food is thrust into the Stomach before the former is digested it mixeth with the half-concocted Food which does surprize Nature and disturb her Work and fouls the Stomach causeth sower Belchings makes the Vessels to swell and in some Constitutions is attended with griping Pains and Indispositions through the whole Body c. for the natural heat is so oppressed with these continual supplies of Food before it calls or is ready for them that it cannot make any perfect Separation which is a main cause of Windy Diseases filling the Vessels with unconcocted Juices which powerfully obstruct the due Functions of Nature and hinders the Circulation of the Blood and Spirits which is the reason that when such People do travel or labour and oft-times only upon the Change of Weather they are indisposed and presently tired and out of Breath and troubled with an inward heat and drought continually calling for Supplies of Drink which does but promote Disorder and swell the Body and make the Exercise more burthensom For indeed drinking between Meals is very injurious to all sorts of People except to those that labour hard and sweat much for such may drink but very moderately or else they may quickly out-do Nature but for others that live easie Lives and do not sweat to be sipping or rather pouring down strong Drink and Wine between Meals does prove of very evil Consequence for it destroys the edge of the Appetite and makes the Stomach disordered always seeming as if it wanted something and in some Constitutions an hot heavy dulness for all strong Drinks received in a greater quantity than the Stomach can conveniently master leave a sowr heavy stinking Matter behind them in the Body which furrs the Passages with a slimy Substance and which causeth loss of Appetite shortness of Breath Rheums with sharp tickling Matter that first ascends into the Head and offends it and then falls back again into the Breast and upon the Lungs whence Coughs and Consumptions proceed Also in some People it begets a kind of unnatural hunger or craving in the Stomach or a sharp gnawing Pain which causeth many to eat
the Uncleannesses of the Multitude and hardly have had once in their whole Lives a serious thought about these sublime Matters or ever applied themselves to the Practice of them 6. By what hath been said it may sufficiently appear That all things are mov'd by Simile and every particular Property of Nature both in the Evil and Good does eagerly hunger after such Food as is proper to maintain and nourish its own Body from which ground it comes to pass that the evil and wicked Bestiality of a Nation or particular Man does sensibly move the Wrath of God in the outward Elements by the same way of Simile and strengthens it powerfully and as it were naturally kindling and drawing down the corrupt Nature in the Stars and Elements whence proceed both publick and private Calamities On the other side Iustice Clemency Ceasing from Violence and Cruelty and walking in the friendly Way of Righteousness Temperance and Purity does awaken and corroborate the benevolent Influences of the Celestial Bodies and attract Blessings and Prosperity As witness the Iews when they lived in the Laws of God and Nature they were blessed with the Dew of Heaven and the Fatness of the Earth and with Health and all other Benefits but when they broke his Commands and ate polluted things then was kindled the Wrath of God and Nature and many Calamities were showered down upon them Hence also the holy Scriptures testifie That the Prayers of the ungodly are an abomination God doth not hear or answer them because they proceed from the wrathful Fountain and have no Sympathy with the Divine Principle But on the contrary the Prayers and Desires of those that live in the fear of the Lord and are guided by that divine Principle of his eternal Love and Light are as sweet Incense in his Nostrils and he will answer them from his Holy Hill for by way of Simile they open the everlasting Doors of the Palace of Glory and draw down and are strengthned with the pleasant Fruits of Paradise Thus every thing moveth towards its own Center and powerfully attracts Matter out of all things to nourish and maintain its own Body and this was the cause why the Ancients made distinctions between clean and unclean Creatures Meats and Communications knowing that all things that a man doth touch have power to make him him either better or worse 7. Our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ saith That Man shall answer for every idle Word Which Saying does contain a great Mystery So likewise we read in the Revelations That Blessed are they that die in the Lord they cease from their Labours and their Works follow them Both these Places are to be understood alike First Every idle Word and also every good Word and Work do respectively proceed from two grand Fountains or Principles in Man Now all idle and evil Thoughts Words Inclinations and Dispositions as Envy Hatred Back-biting Violence Oppression Fighting and Killing one another do all proceed from the wrathful fierce Principle and by it are comprehended and received as similary thereunto On the other side all good Words and Works arise from the Light and Grace of God viz. from the divine Principle which does therefore likewise receive and comprehend them He that calleth his Brother a Fool shall be in danger saith the Scripture of Hell fire The Reason is Because every Word or Work that is framed or created from the Wrath in Man and received by its Likenesses if not repented of does endanger the Soul and is apt to precipitate the Man into the Hellish Nature for every Root will greedily embrace its own Fruits and every Word has a Key in it self to open the Gate of its own Principle and to awaken and strengthen its own Property as is manifest from every Moment's Experience Doth not the angry Words and Looks of one Man awaken the fierce Wrath in others to whom they are directed The very same good Words and Works will do A soft Answer says the Wise-Man pacifies Wrath. Every Word carries the Power of that Property or Principle that was predominant in it or from whence it was generated and therefore wheresoever its Sound or Voice enters and meets its Simile they immediately incorporate and joyn Forces strengthening and increasing the same If this were not so the Apostle Paul would not have said That Evil Communication corrupts good Manners nor David have avouched With the Froward thou shalt learn Frowardness Therefore 't is absolutely necessary for People to know somewhat of themselves else they cannot understand from what Property or Principle each Thought Imagination and Word does proceed and guard themselves accordingly 'T is the true knowledge of God in a Man's self that teaches Wisdom and gives understanding of Good and Evil. 8. But there are many Thousands that hardly ever in their whole Lives do so much as enquire after that true Knowledge which dwells essentially in Man or mind that internal Oracle where in Difficulties they may and ought to enquire as the worthy Prophet David said I will hear what the Lord will say in me Therefore as for those that have hearkned to the Voice of Wisdom in themselves and obtained any true Knowledge of God they contend not about outward Forms and Modes of Religion for they have a more sure word of Prophecy shining as a Light in a dark place to which you do well to give heed being a guide that teacheth all Vertues and condemneth all Vice But on the other side those that never turn their Eyes inward nor regard the Voice of Wisdom that cries in the Gate of their City as the Wise Man loves to speak but look abroad and hearken after other Voices such cannot stand alone they are meer Adjectives in Religion Philosophy and Reason and are forced continually to lean on the Shoulders of others and remain Darkness in themselves as though the Lord had not given them any Salt to savour their Ways there being no end and 't were well there had been no beginning of Man's running after other Gods and of worshipping of Idols but where the true Knowledge of God is not first attained in a Man's self there neither can any man be satisfied with what another Man knows because it cannot be essential to him but may be either true or false because such Ear-Knowledge does not arise from the Light of a Man's Life but is a thing accidental foreign and at a distance This folding up of a Man 's own Gifts and Talents which the Lord hath given every Man to profit himself withal in Napkins of a supine and careless Negligence and hiding them in the Earth has been the chief cause of Men's running to and fro and contending about other Mens God's esteeming and setting up Signs and mere Shadows and neglecting the true Substance what Aristotle held what Galen taught what Hippocrates or St. Augustin or Tho. Aquinas or twenty such noted Men have said of such or such a matter they can tell but
with the Ferocity of their Nature which prompts them to tear and hurry their Fellow-Creatures and eat their Flesh and Blood as Dogs Cats Swine Bears Lions Tigers Foxes and many others divers of which our Saviour likened Men unto because he saw that the same fierce unclean savage Nature of such Beasts did rule in them and thence the said Men were more fierce ravenous and hungry after Blood and all other Uncleanness than the very Beasts of Prey themselves so greatly mischievous is the depraved Nature of Mankind when he suffers his Will and Desires to enter into and live in the power of the Wrath of God in Nature But to eat Bread or any other Food with unwashen hands provided the Food be clean and not too much in Quantity nor of a contrary Quality is no manner of Uncleanness but a vain Superstition in the Pharisees who did love to make clean the Outside of the Cup but did not matter the Inside whereas the Work of Christ was to clean the Inward Man from every unclean Thought Desire and Inclination And when this cleansing state can be witnessed by any Man then no Meats Drinks nor other unclean thing can enter into him so as to defile him because his Desires thereunto are cut off in the Bud and utterly mortified for no Man ever did commit any Uncleanness or Intemperance but first the contrivance thereof was in the Heart nay when Men first think to commit an Uncleanness or Violence there does oft-times happen in the Heart great controversie or strugling between the divine Principle and the Wrath and which of these two does prevail and get the dominion accordingly the Man acts or forbears and sometimes it comes to pass that in this inward contest the evil Imaginations are cut off in the Bud that is when the divine Principle prevails and will not susser them to proceed into Act and attain unto a Substance but when the wrathful Nature gets the Day then every unclean Thought and Desire is accomplish'd and becomes a substantial Evil. Thus you see the grand Root and Cause of all kinds of Vertue and Vice is inward not outward each Man's Fruits manifest from what Principle they derive their Birth The external Cleanness and Vertue is only a manifestation of what Property does reign in the Soul Therefore the first step to Vertue Cleanness Sobriety and Temperance is to turn the eye of the understanding inward and there examine try what kind of Spirit rules in the Heart This Knowledge of a Man's self and to distinguish between the good and evil Principle of Nature in himself is of absolute necessity to every person for he that cannot distinguish the two Seeds viz. that of the Woman and that of the Serpent within can never be able to judge of Good or Evil Clean and the contrary without A true inward Knowledge goes before Self denial he that cannot distinguish the Properties of his own Nature cannot know what to deny himself of or what to embrace But happy is the Man that getteth Wisdom and findeth Understanding 12. We read in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 10. That the Apostle Peter had a Vision in which appeared before him all manner of Beasts Fowls and Creeping Things both clean and unclean and the Lord said unto him Arise Peter kill and eat Who answered Lord I have not at any time eaten any thing that is common and unclean And the Lord said What I have cleansed call thou not unclean Then Peter arose and said Of a Truth the Lord is no respecter of Persons neither to Jew nor Gentiles Bond nor Free but every one that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is respected and accepted of him This Vision was intended not so much to shew the lawfulness of eating clean Flesh or the contrary but to convince Peter and to take off the Scruple he had touching preaching the Gospel to the Uncireumcised or Gentiles for in the Vision was rep resented to him all kinds of Creatures as well poysonous creeping Vermin as clean and unclean Beasts which was a true Figure of the unregenerate state of Mankind and how the bestial fierce Wrath of the clean and unclean Beasts does reign in him and also that the poysonous Qualities of all sorts of creeping Creatures and Vermin have a being and rule in Men. This is a great Figure which did shew our depraved state and that the Creator did not respect one more than another but every one that would receive the Counsel of the Divine Light and through the good power and vertue thereof purge and cleanse themselves from the unclean bestial and poysonous Nature should be accepted of him and that Peter should preach the Gospel freely both to Iew and Gentile Therefore whosoever shall interpret this Text otherwise are mistaken as is apparent because as I said but now there were represented in the Sheet poysonous creeping things and Vermin never known to be eaten by any Nation or Sect but which did aptly denote the unclean state of Man and that poysonous unclean Property of all sorts of unclean Beasts and Vermin that does rule in and defile his Heart and Soul whence proceed those brutish Inclinations and Dispositions to Oppression and all kind of Evil as also Intemperances Superfluities Gluttony and the desire after unclean Food which evil Nature and venomous Contagion Iesus Christ the Cleanser and Purger of Souls came to destroy which Peter's Vision did manifest in that he was commanded to preach unto all Men the glad Tidings viz. That Christ the Redeemer was come to seek and to save that which was lost viz. the Soul of Man captivated under every inferiour bestial and unclean Power which Christ by his holy Grace and divine Power does destroy if its Counsel be obeyed for no sooner does it come to have dominion in the Heart but all those Beasts of Prey viz. Pride Revenge Ambition and Cruelty and those creeping venomous Vermin Lust Treachery c. are overcome and their Principle so weakned that in a little time they will find no place in the Soul for there is the same possibility and energy in the divine Principle in Man as there is the wrathful cruel Principle if the Will and Desires adhere unto and follow the first then that grows strong and gets the dominion and purgeth out of the Heart Violence and Oppession and destroys all Sensuality But if the Counsel of the fierce wrathful bitter Root prevail then the Man's Mind becomes a Cage of unclean Birds and is filled with Bestiality and poysonous Inclinations whereby Men come to exceed all the Savages of the Desart in Cruelty and Uncleanness and most of them that have Power live upon the spoil of others Labours and by killing and oppressing as well those of their own Kind as all other Creatures Hence because Man that was originally formed the Image of God and the Rival of Angels had now so far degenerated and depraved himself as to engross all the worst
Simile Use and Custom to some degree of Wisdom Silence being in much esteem amongst us counting it a very difficult thing to hear the Voice of Wisdom if the Ears are not first made good by Silence for he that cannot distinguish Sounds cannot tune his Instrument and consequently he can make no Harmony the like is to be understood of the various Voices in Man if he do not understand by the Sound of each Voice and from what Centre it had its Birth and what Property doth predominate in each Voice then such an one cannot rightly and properly distinguish the Voice of Wisdom from others for this cause many do take the one for the other We do not admire any Study so much as the knowledge of our selves esteeming that to be only profitable both to the Body and Soul We have but few Merchants amongst us and those that are are ready to break for their Wares have but little Credit with us We do not need Wine Sugar Spices Fruits Drugs nor indeed none of the Novelties brought from the West and East-Indies accounting them not proper nor agreeable to our Natures We know that the Herbs Fruits Grains Seeds and Drugs that grow under the elevation of our own Pole are more Homogeneal We are of the Kingly Prophet David's Mind counting all those needless Dainties the price of Blood for the most part procured by great hazard trouble and labour And if David counted Water which was procured by hazard of a Man's Life the price of Blood it being a most necessary thing for the support of the Life and he at that time in great need of it how much more then must we esteem those needless things the price of Blood that are procured by the loss of Life and Health Our married Men and Women are not like the Moon the farther she is distant from the Sun the clearer and greater light she gives but when she draws nearer her light is lessened Our Women do not spend most of their time in superfluous Dressing and decking themselves like painted or gilded Looking-glasses which present a false Face We love and marry them for Vertue more than for Money Honour or Beauty because none of these things make them so Praise-worthy as Sobriety Modesty Obedience and good Works They are so friendly to us as not to charge us or put us to that unnecessary Labour and Trouble of rich Attire or other Superfluities their modest Looks and honest Behaviours do not only engage us to love them but leads all that cast their Eyes on them to Continency and Chastity We do not know the Expences of either Apothecaries Doctors or Doctresses they prevent that by good living neither do they teach or train their Children from their Breasts to Gluttony but supply them with proper Meats and Drinks both in Quantity and Quality which makes them strong lusty brisk and healthy of clean sweet Tempers not apt to cry or be disordered but play like Lambs neither are they so subject to immature Deaths of good Genius's apt to all sorts of Learning not subject to the Ioint-Aches King's-Evil Leprous Diseases which do proceed from our well-Tillage and Manuring of our Ground in the beginning also we take care to keep it clean from Weeds and to sow good Seed in the proper times and seasons We do make it our business to understand the Nature and Quality of each Soil for some Men's Transgression the Earth is naturally subject to bring forth evil Fruit or Vegetation not so profitable for use and if there be not special care taken and industry used the good Fruit will be over-run and much weakned by the Thorns and Briars and hinder the good Seed from taking Root and so become corrupted in the Bud We do also esteem that Country most miserable that doth neglect the proper Tillage and Education of Children it being the grand Fountain of all Superfluity Gluttony Seditions and Murthers and a contempt of God's Law written in the Heart Scriptures and Book of Nature for this cause the Learned Moses commanded That the drunken gluttonous disobedient sons should be stoned to Death Therefore we have Laws and Customs that do compel all Fathers to instruct their Children in all Modesty Honesty Cleanness Sobriety and Silence before their Elders and we trust not the education of them to others for if we will not take pains with them our selves how can we believe that others will We account it more profitable for them to be educated and instructed in the Precepts of Wisdom and Knowledge of Nature than for us to spend our Time wear our Health out and perplex our Minds to get Riches and Money which for the most part are the very Seeds of Oppressions and Intemperances We do not admit the importing of Wine or any strong Drinks to be made that is capable to make Men drunk not that we do esteem those brave noble Creatures unlawful but because the young Men and simple low-spirited People have not government to use it as it ought or to the best advantage of Nature but altogether the contrary Therefore the Wise amongst us do refrain it and prohibit themselves for their sakes We had rather the excellent Fruit of the Vine should be lost than our People destroyed in the use of it therefore if any amongst us do make or invent any sort of Drink that will make Men drunk they are punished with perpetual Servitude and the Drinkers thereof with little less Drunkenness being the leading-Card to all Evils We have not forgot the many Burdens Miseries cruel Slaveries and Oppressions we endured whilst we remained in intemperate Egypt though the Foolish Ones have And if we should give liberty again to Drunkenness Gluttony and the like Vanities we may justly expect the same measure and to have no more Mercy than Pharaoh and his Troops had for wheresoever Superfluity and Gluttony is there you may be sure Oppression doth reign which doth powerfully stir up the Wrath therefore the first step towards the Land of Peace is for Men to abstain from all Uncleanness and Violence which the Prophets and Holy Men of God proclaim'd in all Ages We know that to be lawful that is needful and sutable to Nature's wants being sensible that every Extreme begets its Simile both in the Body and also in the Mind whether it be Meats Drinks Words Exercises or Communications We cannot do Violence or oppress any thing but first we must be strong in the fierce Wrath whence the Violence doth proceed neither can we do any thing whether in the Evil or Good but first we must be strong in that Principle whence the Good or Evil doth proceed therefore it may be truly said Wrath and Fierceness hurts all things and all things hurt that but on the contrary Innocency hurts nothing and nothing hurts that it being an irrepugnable Tower against all Evil and Violence Living well is the best defence against Men's inward and outward Enemies It is also a custom
bring against her Whereas in truth when there are twenty thirty forty fifty sixty or an hundred several things compounded together and of as many distinct Natures no man on Earth can know the Genuine operation of such a Medicine Does not Experience shew that in Food if you compound ten or twenty sorts of things the best and strongest Stomach will loath such Food after one Meal or two Who is there let his Constitution be what it will that would be satisfied if he were confined to live on your richest sort of Cake-Bread that has ten or twelve Ingredients in it Are not the pure natural Operations of each thing destroyed and adulterated where various things are thus mixed together of different Natures And does not the Pallate and Stomach grow weary and sick if confiâ—â—â— to such Foods The very same is to be understood in Physical Preparations there being not much difference between the Apothecaries and our more curious Cooks Compositions both being alike preposterous and inimical to Nature To demonstrate this I shall here insert a learned Doctor 's Prescription A Gentlewoman had a Son whom being not well she supposed was in a Consumption she applies her self to a Famous Doctor for Learning and Skill who informs her her Son was in a wasting condition and you must needs believe it for he saw it in the Boy 's Piss Then she desired him to give her Directions how she might prevent that Consuming Distemper Mr. Doctor having once more peep'd in the Urinal thrice shook his Noddle and twice stroked the place where he should have had a Beard perceiving the Angels to appear was presently enlightned by the False Prophet Tradition to give the Gentlewoman this following Bill to the Apothecary which does consist of no less than three and thirty Ingredients But by that time the Apothecary had mustered up his several Slops and compleated the Composition of Omniumgatherum the Small-Pox began to appear and put a period to Goodman Doctor 's future proceedings who else to prevent the Boy 's Consumption would have loaded his Guts with Materials enough to half set up an Apothecary The Receipt R. Ol Amygd dulc rec Syr. Capiat Veneris anaÊ’iss Sacchar Cant. Ê’iss mis. exactissim Capiat cochleare unum ter quaterve in die superbibendo â„¥ iv 〈◊〉 pozem sequent calid Re. Decoct pector depurat lb jss Tinct Crocj Syr. capil Veneris ana â„¥ iss mis. fiat Apozema R. Cons. Ros. rub antiq per setacerum traject â„¥ ii Pulv. HalyÊ’iss Laud. liquid Ê’i Syr. Balsamic q. s. m. f. Electurium de N. m. singulis noctibus quo Capiat Quantitatem In English Take Oyl of sweet Almonds new drawn Syrup of Maiden-hair of each one Ounce and half White-Sugarcandy-powder one Dram and half mix them and take one spoonful three or four times a day drinking after each Dose a quarter of a pint of the following Apozem warm Take of the Pectoral Decoction depurated a pint and half Tincture of Saffron and Syrup of Maidenhair of each one Ounce and half mix them for an Apozem Take Conserve of Old-Red-Roses pulped two Ounces Pulvis Haily a Dram and half liquid Laudanum one Dram Syrup of Balsom a sufficient quantity to make it into an Electuary To be taken the quantity of a Nutmeg every Night at bed-time This is the Bill whose Ingredients if you trace them to their Originals are thirty three and their various Natures as many disagreeing one with the other and consequently make a Medicine of a loathing Quality and far sicker in Nature than the distempered Patient The very same is to be understood of most or all the things they administer under the Name of Cordials to sick languishing and dying people as being Mixtures of cool'd stilled Waters of several sorts with certain Syrups Epidemick-Waters and other like Slops which are all great Nauseates to Nature even in the healthiest state and if so what a miserable Condition then must the Sick be in The truth is men in the time of health strength and vigour do make the best of Cordials too common to them viz. Wine which many drink to the destruction of their Health and then when they are sick they must have a change tho' it be for the worse and so they take up with these loathsome Compositions of the Apothecaries which are so sar from being really Cordial that they are oppressive to Nature 'T is a thing of evil consequence to be ignorant of the most excellent and sublime Virtues of the Herbs which our own Countrey does produce both for all Physical Uses and also for Food there being no way so safe for Nature as to apply and use simple Herbs in the Cure of Diseases for as simple Food is always the most harmless as administring a proper and equal Nourishment to the Body and Spirits the very same is to be understood in all Physical Operations for the Nature of each thing is adulterated and its physical virtue destroyed by the contrary Qualities of other intermixt Ingredients It is further to be noted that most sorts of Herbs when cut in their proper Seasons and under good Influences and afterwards dryed according to the Rules before-mentioned are far better than when green for the makng of Posset-drinks and Decoctions and also for Cordials by infusion for the Sun and Elements do exhale and destroy the gross earthy phlegmy substance and preserve the pure spirituous parts and Balsamick Virtues and sets the Spirit free that it becomes volatile which pure Virtues in all or most green Herbs are captivated by the earthy Body of Phlegm Therefore when dry Herbs which are properly preserved are committed to any proper Liquor as Hot-Water Beer Ale Cyder Wine Spirit of Wine c. any of those Liquors will greedily receive the good Virtues and Spirituous parts better than they can from Herbs that are green And when Herbs have lain together five or six Months they are fitter for such uses than when first gathered and being so preserved as before is directed will keep good for several years This preparation of the Sun and Elements is much to be esteemed and no preparation performed by common Fire is to be compared therewith for by this Chymical Art of Nature the more sublime Virtues and vegitative Qualities are preserved and the gross earthy Substance destroyed but in all our Chymical Preparations and Separations there is a contrary Operation for when the Chymist takes Herbs and commits them to his Fire he cannot preserve neither the pure Volatile Spirit nor Balsamick Body or Vegitative Virtue but only the fierce fiery harsh astringent bitter Spirits which properties are the original of every Life and cannot be destroyed in any preparation though never so unnatural except the things could be annihilated for this Cause all such Sulpherous fiery Liquors will not work and ferment as all other sorts of Liquors will even Water it self when any Balsamick Body is joyned with it as Sugar or the like but those other
Therefore let none think themselves unworthy because they have not the Learning of Babel or because they are simple for such as are unlearned and empty if they come to the Lord in Humility and Faith he will abundantly teach them and plentifully fill them with all good things The most natural and proper way of making of Cordials with any kind of Herbs Seeds Flowers Spices and Drugs either simple or compound Take any sort of Herbs Seeds Flowers Spices or Drugs either simple or compound but the first is to be preferred before the latter the Drugs and Seeds are to be bruised or cut what Quantity you think convenient infuse them in Ale Beer Cyder Wine or Spirit of Wine but remember that they do not continue above one hour in your Liquor but if the Quantity of Seeds Herbs Drugs or Flowers be great and but little Liquor then half an hour will be a sufficient time for you to continue your Infusion the same is to be understood if your Herbs or ingredients be of a strong bitter Quality as Wormwood Featherfew Tansie and the like your Vessel ought to be close stopt all the time of your Infusion then strain out your Liquor putting it into Bottles and when 't is setled sweeten it to what degree you think fit with Refined-Sugar which is to be preferred before any kind of Syrups for they are broken flat Bodies like any sort of Food that is prepared twice and therefore when mixed with any kind of Liquor or Drink they give it a sickish fainty Taste being dull heavy and unpleasing to the Stomach Which of you that prefer the use of Syrups so much if you were to have your Drink sweetned when you are in health would chuse Syrups to do it with I believe scarce one man of an hundred but rather White-Sugar with which when you have sweetened your Infusion or Liquor prepared as aforesaid you have a Cordial far more friendly to Nature and more impregnated with the real and natural Virtues of the Herbs Seeds Drugs c. which you have made choice of to use than any that is or can be drawn by Distillation for the Reasons beforementioned But if you let your Ingredients lie soaking two three four five Days or a Week more or less as is usual for most people to do then the pure Volatile balsamick Virtues and Tinctures will become either suffocated or evaporated for all sorts of Menstrums or Liquors do first extract or receive the pure subtle spirituous Qualities especially of all such Herbs Seeds Grains or Flowers as have already passed through any kind of Digestion or Fermentation as all dry Herbs have that are prepared according to our Rules and also all green Herbs that are Spicy and Aromatick do the same therefore if continued too long in such Liquors the pure Virtues and sweet spirituous parts become suffocated by degrees and then presently appears the strong gross bitter sower and astringent Qualities which poysonous Properties do prey upon and devour the sweet Body and pure Spirits for which cause all such Infusions or Cordials have a strong fulsome smell and taste and equally unpleasant to the Nose the Pallate and the Stomach Many Examples I could instance to demonstrate this but I shall only name one which is very plain familiar and material viz. in Brewing Alc and Beer First you make your Liquor boiling hot then put the Mault to it and stir it letting it stand together one hour or thereabouts and then you let that Liquor run off and so have a brave friendly Sweet Wort. But should you have done as most Physicians Apothecaries and others do viz. have let your Mault and Liquor stood infusing five or six Hours a Day a Week or the like I appeal to your selves if your Wort would not have turned sower sharp keen and of no use or virtue except for Stilling whereby 't is evident that all Infusions that are continued beyond their proper time do lose all their good Virtues more especially if they be such things as have already passed through any kind of Fermentation or Digestion the gross Bodies of all such things being in a Degree opened whereby the Balsamick Virtues become as it were volatile which before lay hid or captivated in the Body of Phlegm as is most manifest in all Grass or Herbage Take an handful of Grass and smell to it does it not send forth a gross fulsome earthy smell and scent but if you expose the same Grass two or three Days to the Sun and open Air which will exhale and destroy the fulsome phlegmy parts and more earthy substance opening the Body and then the Spirituous parts become so volatile that it will perfume the whole Field And if this Preparation be not discontinued the same Sun and Elements will exhale and destroy the good Virtues also and for this cause I told you that dryed Herbs Seeds and Grains are to be preferred before Green except some Spicy Herbs whose pure Virtues stand a degree more external than others and such are best to be used Green But others when infused green impart their gross phlegmy Substance to the Liquor Dryed Herbs Seeds Grains and the like when committed to any proper Liquor do more freely give forth their good Virtues than the Green for the Spirituous Qualities and sweet Body is more ready to infuse it self than other the astringent bitter or sower Qualities but they follow close at the heels of the good Virtues and if the Infusion or Preparation be not rightly timed then these fierce original strong Qualities will suffocate the Supple spirits and in a moment the sweet Body turns sower eager and astringent and the use of all such things proves very destructive to the Health of the Body and are very unpleasant to the Pallate and Stofor as there is a most pleasant sweet friendly Power and Virtue in all Herbs Seeds and Grains so on the contrary there is a strong gross poysonous fulsom Quality there being nothing so good but it hath an evil in it nor any thing so evil but there is an essential good in it therefore there is required Wisdom and Understanding in all Preparations whether for Food or Physick The Proper Natural way of making Physical Decoctions Posset-Drink c. with Herbs and Seeds so as they may not lose their Virtues The most essential way to make Decoctions of either Herbs or Seeds is after this manner First Take what Quantity of good River-water you shall think fit making it boyling hot or you may boyl it a little but the former is best viz. to make it as hot as good House-wives and Brewers make their Liquor into which they put their Mault for the much boyling of Water does not only evaporate the spirituous Qualities thereof but it fixeth it so that it hath not that power to draw or extract the Virtue and good Properties of such Ingredients as shall be added for which cause few Brewers will suffer their Liquor to boyl or
which proves not only chargeable but many times continues their ill Habits of Body and this is apt to make Men grumble fret and repine and thereunto the other Cross-accidents usually attending Married Persons as encrease of Charge the uncertain Gains and the certain Expences the hazards of Child-bearing the crying and noise of Children and their Death the Lamentation of a tender loving Wife refusing to be comforted for her Children because they are not or if there be no Children then the Discontents of Barrenness and Rachel's out-cry Give me Children or else I dye All these Troubles Inconveniences and many others too tedious to instance are apt to hover round the Marriage-Bed and therefore it ought to be well fortified with a fixed and unalterable Love founded on Virtue Piety and Iudgment for want of which Multitudes of both Sexes as soon as the Honey-Moon is past and the first fervours of their Passion glutted and slipt away as a Dream do become burthened and uneasy and spend in vain a thousand Wishes That they were single again For in truth Marriage does very rarely answer the Ends of those that chiefly propose Pleasure Money or the satisfaction of any particular Lust or Passion therefore none are happy or can answer the End for which Marriage was ordained but only those who chuse their Yoke-fellows in the fear of the Lord and from a well-composed Disposition and pure natural Affections not having an Eye to Money Honour Idleness Lusts or a petulant Abuse of the Creative Power of God for Man is the Image of God and his Son and Off-spring therefore they ought not to take unto themselves Wives of all that they like as the Sons of God are complained of to have done Gen. 6. They saw the Daughters of Men were fair and they chose unto themselves Wives of all that they liked not what the Lord liked nor in his fear but what themselves liked that is for Lust Honour Self-ends which was all contrary to God's Law and Commandment therefore the Lord was provoked to Wrath and they brought forth Gyants Monsters and Destroyers and the Lord cut short their days My Spirit shall not always strive with Man nevertheless his days shall be an hundred and twenty years Here you see Man's Life was abridged by reason of their unfit Marriages and the Corruption of their Conversation whereby Mankind became corrupted in the very Root whence proceeds not only fierce beastial Inclinations and Dispositions but a great number of Diseases which many bring into the World with them of which most are incurable 6. There are but very few Persons that do keep to or observe the Rules of Temperance in the use of the Marriage-Bed but are generally too indulgent and immoderate in the Pleasures of Venus which of all others are most inticing and seems more natural than any other Superfluity but it is also the most dangerous both to the health of the Body and Mind for when Men give themselves up thereunto it destroys the vigour of the Understanding make the mind poor base and effeminate and as to the Elements of the Body it weakens and consumes them and by degrees Contracts such Diseases as strike at and corrupt the very Root of Nature In a word nothing more Unmans a Man than this sort of Intemperance therefore the following Rules and Observations will be beneficial to all that shall observe them 1st Every one ought to be Temperate in Meats and Drinks and to eat those things as are naturally equal in their parts and to avoid all Rich Cordial Drinks and Spiced Compositions for such things over-heat the Blood and open all the Gates of the Venereal Property whence proceed irregular and vehement Inclinations which ought to be avoided Instead of such Excesses you will do well to entertain proper Labour and Exercise which will prevent the Generation of such Superfluous Matter and this will be the more effectual if sometimes you will be so kind as by Abstinence to give Nature time to Concoct her Crudities and Fast at the least eight or ten hours between your Meals For in truth were People but sensible what Benefits attend moderate Fasting there would not be so many secret Gluttons in the World and a great part of that Debauchery whereby so many Estates are swallowed so many Families dishonoured and so many Persons Bodies weakened and decayed would be prevented 2dly All young People ought to refrain the reading the Books of Romances Plays c. whose chief Subject is to treat of Wanton Love-stories and also to avoid idle Venereal Discourses and Lascivious Pictures which do secretly and insensibly stir up and strengthen the Venereal Qualities of Nature and cause Youth to think and do that which otherwise would never have fallen within their Imagination and having once got possession in the Soul they will soon wholly subdue and captivate it for when once a young Person of either Sex has bassled Modesty the Life-guard of Chastity or if once they have suffered the fort of their Virginity to be irregularly stormed tho they shall never so much repent of and resolve against such Folly for the future yet they will find it a very hard Task to obtain the Gift or Power of Continency again tho they seek it with Tears as Esau did his Birth-right 'T is easier to Prevent than Repent and not so hard for those who never violated their Integrity to perish therein as for those that have once trangressed to conduct the rest of their Lives according to the Prescripts of Chastity and Virtue for the latter are for the most part subjected by every Snare to all inferior Powers and the Vanities and Wantonness of the Flesh whereby they commit great Outrages against God's Law in Nature Add to this that Lasciviousness does much lessen that esteem which Men ought to have for Women and brings Contempt upon a Matrimonial Life and withal contracts many incurable Diseases and consumes the outward Substance 3dly As the first Errors in any kind are generally of fatal Consequence so most young People New-married inconsiderately lay a foundation for their future Discontents and Miseries like ill Horse-men they Whip and Spur so at their first setting out that 't is no wonder if they Tyre before they arrive at their Journies end contracting Surfeits Gouts general Weaknesses alteration of the Complexion Consumptions and other languishing Diseases as may appear by many young Men and Women especially Men who grow Pale and their Flesh wastes and their Joynts grow feeble and their Nerves tremble and an universal Indisposition seizes and spreads it self through the whole Body and then what can be expected but that their Children should become weakly and subject to Diseases Nay many times for this very reason they are radically tinctured with Infirmities and branded with Diseases even in the very Womb and thence by way of Rebound or Retaliation variety of Diseases result back again to their Mothers before they are yet disburthened or can imagine
of Stars and the various Species in the four Worlds or what doth more ravishingly declare the Greatness Goodness and eternal Wisdom of the immense Creator This is a Book we study in which the grand Charter of Nature and the Holy Mysteries of God are recorded and we think we do not err in preferring it before the endless and contentious thwarting Volumes of the Talkative Philosophers and Wrangling Schoolmen French-man I have been told and you seem to own it That you will not Kill any of the inferior Creatures nor eat their Flesh but I pray hath not Man power to do as he pleaseth with those Creatures and were not they made for that very purpose Heathen God hath made all Creatures inferior to Man who hath freedom to use and do unto them all as he pleaseth having free will to chuse either Good or Evil but he that follows the better and leaveth the worse chuseth the better part and is made God's Friend and in Amity with all the Creation for man is a likeness of all things and contains their true Natures and Properties and therefore whatever he giveth himself unto the same becomes strong in him be it Virtue or Vice For which cause our well-advised Fathers commanded us our Wives and Children to abstain from all kinds of Violence and Oppression especially to those of our own Species that thereby our Souls might be preserved from being precipitated into wrath and so retain Humanity and the more noble Faculties of our Souls unspotted as well as our Bodies rendred wholsome clean and fit to be Temples for the Divine Spirit esteeming Abstinence Cleanness and Separation to be the true paths that lead to all external and eternal bliss it being in our opinion an unfit and altogether unworthy thing that the great noble and immortal Soul of man should so much degenerate from its high and illustrious Birth as to joyn or suffer it self to be incorporated with the low and savage Nature of Beasts Nor do we think it lawful for us to heat our Veins and distemper our blood with Wine since Water more kindly quencheth our Thirst the innocent and fragrant Herbs and Fruits of our Gardens afford us ample satisfaction and we should be ashamed to make our Bodies the Graves of the Inferiour Creatures And tho our Princes are sometimes harsh and severe to us yet we pacifie them with meek submissive and humble Behaviour And since as little as possibly we can we hurt not any thing therefore nothing hurts us but we live in perfect Unity and Amity with all the numberless Inhabitants of the four Worlds doing by them as we would be done unto whereby we dis-arm their Rage and their Fury finds no place against us French-man But pray tell me how long you have led this kind of Life and whether your Sons and Daughters do follow your Religion and Example for amongst the Europeans nothing is more common than for Youth to degenerate and wander after the Multitude and abandon their Fathers Rules especially if they should be but half so singular as you are Heathen As for the Antiquity of our Course of Life I think for the greater part I may date it from the World 's Original Your own Doctors teach that Adam the first Man was placed in a Garden and that the green Herb. and Tree bearing Fruit was to be to him for Meat and do generally agree that afterwards at least during the Old World viz. to the time of the Flood which was in the Year of the World 1656. eating of Flesh was not allowed or practised and though afterwards it was practised yet 't is probable it did not obtain with all But there is reason to believe that still the better and more reserved sort did abstain For about the Year of the World 3300. near the time that your holy Records mention Ierusalem to be besieged by Nebuchadnezzar we find the famous Philosopher Pythagoras flourishing who expresly taught his Followers which by reason of his Parts and Virtues were not a few not to eat any Flesh but content themselves altogether with Vegetables and this great Man travelling for the acquest and diffusion of Knowledge into divers parts left not our India unvisited and there planted this wholsome Doctrine which ever since hath not wanted Observers derived down by a continual Succession to our Times 'T is true our Ancestors have obliged us to some things which may seem frivolous and vain as not to kill any kind of Vermin which are very offensive to the Life of Man But indeed these Prohibitions well regarded shew their more deep Wisdom and Fore-sight for they did consider that their Philosophy would not only be embraced by Wise Men but also by a great number of Fools as the most part of all Men are in one thing or other and if they should have permitted them to have killed any kind of Creatures the Foolish would have concluded they might by the same Rule as well kill others and so by degrees come to kill men as most other Nations do Besides not only our cleanly regular temperate Lives free us from many of those Vermin wherewith others are troubled but we take it for a Rule that such as would live an abstemious separated Life from Evil and Violence must refrain from some things that are lawful as well as from those that are unlawful as one of your Prophets says excellently All things are lawful but not expedient Touching our Sons and Daughters they all constantly follow our Foot-steps and it hath very rarely been known that any of them have forsaken the Percepts of their Fathers being descended from a Root of Temperance and Equality they are naturally Sober and Temperate for they use not Tippling-Houses nor spend their Patrimony in drinking Wine Gaming Debauchery and Gluttony so that the more Children we have the Richer we esteem our selves they proving no more chargeable to us than Lambs do to Sheep They all marry Wives of our own Tribe and Religion and there is no Dispute about either Portion or Joynture Their greatest Pleasure and chief Recreation is to contemplate the Heavens and their glorious Furniture the Sun Moon and Stars in their Various Motions and Configurations as also the pleasant Gardens Groves and Fountains and to free the Inhabitants thereof from the Tyranny and Bondage of men as much as in them lies And so through the whole course of our Lives abstaining from all that tendeth to Evil and promoting what we can the good of the whole Creation we endeavour to imitate the adorable Maker and Conserver of the Universe whose Off-spring we are and in whom we live and move and have our Beeing French-man You have not only gratified my Curiosity but in several things informed my Understanding And I heartily wish that your Virtue and Morality were crowned with true Christianity and our Christianity embellish'd with the real practice of your Virtue Temperance and Moderation And so bid you Farewell To shew that the recommending Abstinence from Flesh is no new Upstart Conceit I shall here add those notable Verses of the ingenious Poet Ovid written above 1600 Years ago in his Metamorphosis as I find them translated by Sandys where he brings in the famous Philosopher Pythagoras from whom the Indian Bannians derive their Doctrine thus discoursing FOrbear your selves O Mortals to Pollute With wicked Food Corn is the generous Fruit. Apples oppress their Boughs plump Grapes the Vine Thousand sweet Herbs and savoury Roots combine With beauteous Flowers of most fragrant scent Your nice and liquorish Pallates to content The prodigal Earth abounds with gentle Food Affording Conquest without Death or Blood But Beasts with Flesh their ravenous Hunger cloy And yet not all Horses in Pastures joy So Flocks and Herds But those whom Nature hath Endu'd with Cruelty and savage Wrath Wolves Bears Armenian Tygers Lyons in Hot Blood delight How horrible a Sin That Intrails bleeding Intrails should Entomb That greedy Flesh with Flesh should fat become Whilst by the Livers Death the Living Lives Of all which Earth our bounteous Mother gives Can nothing please except thy Teeth in Blood And Wounds and Stygian Fury be imbrew'd Nought satiate the wild variety Of thy rude Paunch unless another dye That good Old Age that Innocent Estate Which we the Golden call was fortunate In Herbs and Fruits her Lips with Blood undy'd Then Fowls through th' Air their Wings in safety ply'd The Hare then fearless wandred o're the Plain Nor Fish by their Credulity were slain Nor taught was Man that fawning Treachery All liv'd secure till he that did Envy What Daemon e're it was those harmless Cates And cramb'd his Guts with Flesh set ope the Gates To cruel Crimes But first these slaughtering harms A fire of Zeal at Holy Altars warms Enjoyning Sacrifices with the Blood Of Savage Beasts which made our Lives their Food Thus the Wild Boar for rooting up the Corn And leaving painful Plough-mens hopes forlorn Was thought to merit Death Vine-brouzing Goats Do next to angry Bacchus yield their Throats What harm have poor Sheep done whose Udders swell And yield of Nectar a perpetual Well Supplying Man with their soft Wooll and are Alive than Dead more profitable far Or what the Ox a Creature without Guile Inur'd to Patience and continual Toil He most ungrateful is deserving ill The gift of Corn that can Unyoke then Kill The Husband-man that Neck with Ax to wound Is too severe that plow'd his stubborn Ground So oft till'd so many Crops brought in Yet not content therewith ascribes the Sin To guiltless Gods as if the Powers on high In Death of labouring Innocence could joy Whence springs so dire an Appetite in Man To interdicted Food O Mortals can Or dare you feed on Flesh Henceforth forbear I you intreat and to my words give ear When Limbs of slaughtered Beasts become your Meat Then think and know that you your Servants Eat FINIS Numb 11. 4 18 22.
any find themselves weak fainty weary and the like they presently think to supply this defect of Nature by giving her good store of rich Food and Cordial Drinks which for the most part do but add a second burthen to her and proves of a more hazardous consequence to the Health than the first Disorder since these Indispositions generally come not for want of Nourishment but rather the contrary and for want of due Rest after too violent Actions or over-long continuance at them and for lack of giving Nature proportionable Meats and Drinks whereby the Spirits and Radical Moisture are wasted as aforesaid tho' it must be confessed That Health and Strength cannot be maintained but by a constant supply of Meats and Drinks yet the main thing is in the due and proper Timing thereof Therefore weak-natur'd People at all times and others whenever by Labour Travel or Fasting they are brought into a weak and fainty state should then be more than ordinarily careful that their Meats and Drinks be not too strong nor too much in quantity nor of a contrary quality but proportionable to the present strength of their Natural Heat 3. Great drinking of Wine and strong Drinks after full Meals of Flesh and Fish most of them being of disagreeing Natures one to the other do often wound the health and that constitution is rarely known that they do not prove of evil and dangerous consequence unto which many of the richest sort of People in this Nation might know by woful experience especially in London who do yearly spend many hundreds I think I may say thousands of Pounds on their ungodly Paunches Many of whom may save themselves that charge and trouble they are usually at in learning of Monsieur Nimble heels the Dancing-Master how to go upright for their Bellies are swelled up to their Chins which forces them to behold the Skie but not for Contemplation-sake you may be sure but out of pure necessity and without any more Impressions of Reverence towards the Almighty All-wise Creator than their Fellow Bruits for their Brains are sunk into their Bellies Injection and Ejection is the business of their Life and all their precious hours are spent between the Platter and the Glass and the Close-stool and Piss-pot Are not these fine Fellows to call themselves Christians and Right Worshipfuls The natural Heat being overcharg'd by too great a Quantity of rich Food that contains overmuch Nourishment stops the Passages arrests the Spirits and makes the Stomach violently attract unto it self from all parts of the Body the pleasant moist Vapours to help and assist her to overcome and digest that load of Victuals which they have ingorged that often puts Nature very hard to it in her internal Laboratory causing a kind of suffocation of the pure Spirits drying and consuming the Radical Moisture and thin refreshing Vapours Therefore after such Epicurean Meals there is always an Indisposition through the whole Body with dulling Fumes in the Head and drouziness that generally continues four five or six hours more or less according to the strength of each mans Constitution and the quantity of Food During which time the Passages of the Spirits are obstructed the Pores stopt so that the thin pleasant Vapours of the Air from without cannot penetrate and thence the Blood is heated and its Circulation hindred and all this by gross phlegmatick Juices arising from Superfluities which impede the Passages and free Course of Nature But after some hours when Nature hath strugled with these Besiegers and flung off their Chains and overcome her Enemy and forced her way and made a separation then the Road of the Spirits is again laid open and the Pores are unlockt to let in the refreshing Breezes and the Man grows brisk and lively and fit for business And so indeed he might have been all this while if to pamper a liquorish Pallate and gratifie an extravagant Humour and Custom he had not wilfully Ingurgitated so much Food as thus oppressed Nature for the present and tho' he think now all 's over and is ready the very next day to attack her again with a like Debauch yet he shall shortly find the Dregs remain there is a Morbifick matter left and continually encreased which at length being ripened into Act by some proper Aspect of the Heavens or similary Accident on Earth breaks forth into a most grievous Surfeit or violent Fever and the Man is all on sire and sighs and languishes and dies And who shall pity him since if he would in time have hearkened to the Voice of Reason or Experience either of them would have told him That the sole Intention of Nature in eating and drinking is purely to support and refresh her and not burden her and therefore he ought to have chosen simple Food and the quantity not too great for the natural Heat and then he should have found after such eating and drinking a certain pleasant and refreshing and chearing Joy spread through the whole Body from the Center to the Circumference being more brisk lively active and useful than before But still many there are that be not content to Overcram Nature with too great a quantity of Food but they will needs drown her too with a deluge of Drink pouring in such vast Quantities of Wine and strong Liquors into their foolish Hogsheads as if they designed to make their Souls immediately swim out of their Bodies This second Charge especially when it comes immediately upon or soon after the first wounds Dame Nature to the very Heart and sets her on fire consuming the sweet Oyl and Radical Moisture by whole-sale suffocates the purer Spirits and puts the Blood their limpid and natural Habitation all into a combustion and the first and greatest Sufferer in this Hurliburly is the pure Volatile Spirit Balsamick Body and pure Oyl which is of a friendly Nature so meek and gentle that it cannot without manifest danger to the Health endure any such harsh Fires or churlish Motions And whenever Violence is offered to this benign quality Nature falls into a languishing which makes the Functions of the Stomach to cease and the Salt's spirit looseth its savour if the Disorder happen near the Center of Life But if only the pure Spirits and sweet Oyl of any Member be hurt then it often falls out that the Evil and Defect remains only in that Member and the Stomach and Center continue well and in such cases the Life is seldom in danger But many Physitians mistaken in Nature do conclude That the cause of such Defects proceed from some ill-habit or vitiated Tone of the Stomach and more Central parts and therefore they will give strong Potions of harsh Medicines both Purging and Vomiting which for the most part hurt Nature weaken the Center help to weaken and destroy the Balsamick Vertues and the Limb or Member afflicted grows worse for when in any Member the wrathful Saturnal and Mercurial Poysons and sulpherous Heats of Mars